A Grudging Loss
by Ai Kisugi
Summary: COMPLETE. AU. A little Inuyasha, a little Romeo and Juliet, some rival college sports and a struggling rock band all make up the facets of this college age romance. Inuyasha and Kagome are famous college sports players from rival teams. Lemon. Inu/Kag
1. Chapter 1: Pre Game Show

**_A Grudging Loss_**

_Summary: AU. A little Inuyasha, a little Romeo and Juliet, some rival college sports and a struggling rock band all make up the facets of this college age romance. Inu/Kag Inuyasha and Kagome are famous college sports players from rival teams. They find themselves drawn to each other while at the same time circumstances pull them apart. Inu/Kag Some M/S_

_

* * *

__Currently rated T for Inuyasha's swearing and fight scenes. Lemon will follow in later chapters and the rating will change to an M at that time._

**Pre-Game Show**

The days of Los Angeles rarely varied from one day to the next. The skies were clear and scarcely saw a drop of rain. The mornings were cool and the afternoons warm. It didn't matter what time of the year it was. A day in April was pretty much the same as a day in December. If it weren't for the change in storefront displays, you would have never noticed a change in seasons. Southern California has always been in a perpetual spring.

Today was September, but as usual the blue skies and wisps of white clouds were the same as any other day of the year. Within the confines of Los Angeles a sportscaster was interviewing a coach at an exhibition game at the LA Memorial Coliseum.

The middle-aged man was dressed crisply with a blue tie and a navy blazer. His hair was shiny and black and he smiled into the mike as he talked to his interviewee. He was addressing an older woman with long gray hair that was tied behind her hair in a pony-tail. The woman was stout and wore the traditional clerical robes of a miko. Her hakama pants were red and she sported a white haori top. The most startling feature of the older woman was that she wore an eye patch over her right eye. However, the eye that remained was bright and clear. She was an old woman, but her entire countenance seemed to radiate knowledge and wisdom.

"Good Morning Los Angeles. This is Steve Hartman, your sports caster at KCAL covering the widely anticipated exhibition game between USC (University of Shikon Cadets) and UCLA (Universal College for the Lost Arts). We're here today to meet with the coach of both teams. First we will start with the USC's team coach, Kaede Maknamara," said the sports caster. "Tell me Coach Kaede. How does your team stack up this year?"

"Steve, I have high hopes for my team this year. As you know we have many teams that will be competing today, but my top team has two of its three original players returning," answered Coach Kaede.

"That would be the grand finalists from last year, Sango Taijiya and Miroku Moroboshi?"

"Yes, Sango's expertise with the Hiraikotsu is legendary. Most people cannot even lift the weapon that she wealds with grace. And of course Miroku's spiritual powers defeated many opponents in the games last season," said the priestess.

"As you know your two top seed players will be graduating from college after this season, so it is time to bring in fresh new talent. Is that what Kagome Higurashi is?" asked Hartman.

"You will undoubtedly agree with me after today's exhibition games that Kagome is a miko who will bring our team into top standing for years to come. You will find her spiritual powers amazing!"

"Yes, thank you Coach Kaede. Now if you don't mind. We need to interview your rival coach from UCLA. Coach Myoga Morita," said the sportscaster.

Steve Hartman turned to the other white haired coach who was even shorter and stouter than Coach Kaede. His white hair was thin and his face was round and portly. If he was even a foot shorter, he might have been mistaken for a dwarf. He wore more traditional coaching clothes with a white polo shirt and black slacks.

"Coach Myoga Morita what can you tell us about your players this year?"

"We have many demonic teams this year, but our top team is without rival. As always I have been blessed to have the talented Sesshomaru as a player. His legendary demonic powers often frighten the opposing teams. He's an iceman! Cool, calm and collected... The perfect player," answered the diminutive coach.

"Yes and Coach Myoga you have two new players on your lineup this year—Sesshomaru's younger brother, Inuyasha Taisho, and Koga Okami. What can you tell me about them?"

"Koga is a fearsome wolf demon with a speed that has yet to be rivaled. Inuyasha is a chip off the old block and like his brother he possesses extraordinary demonic powers. His greatest strength is his tenacity. He never gives up."

"With two new and younger teammates can we see this season as a team building year?"

"Absolutely not Steve. These new players are top notch. We have a chance to win this year's events when we play in the real tournament in June when we play for the Lexus Gauntlet Trophy," added Myoga.

"Well, you heard it here first folks. The stiff rivalry between USC and UCLA is alive and well. Stay tuned to KCAL Channel 9 as we cover the first exhibition game of the season between these two competing colleges and their stiff tradition of athletic excellence. This is Steve Hartman signing off."

Steve Hartman smiled for a moment before frowning and giving his mike to the cameraman. Myoga and Kaede only glanced at each other briefly to fiercely stare at each other before walking away in opposite directions.

Standing in the entranceway of the locker rooms was a man with clear cerulean blue eyes and long black hair tied back into a ponytail. He was wearing traditional wolf fighting gear with furs and breastplate covering the top half of his torso with a katana by his side. He stood next to another man with long silver hair, golden eyes and who had the most curious pale dog-like ears on top of his head. This man wore crimson red hakama pants and a matching red haori overcoat with a long sword attached to his obi.

"So have you seen our opponents yet?" asked Koga while he looked at his claws.

"No, why bother? I'll beat every one of them. No need to see them before the match," answered Inuyasha in his usual blustery style.

"Whoo Weee," jested Koga as he smiled with his fangs poking out over his lips. "You certainly missed a lot. One of our female opponents has legs to die for. You should have seen her in the white leather mini-skirt she was sporting. That Kagome is one hot chick."

"What is it with you and women Koga? Stop thinking that way. She's just an opponent. We need to beat her—end of story," said Inuyasha hotly.

Koga still looked at his claws. "I wonder if she has a boyfriend. Maybe I could ask her out after the game?" he said thoughtfully.

"Are you nuts Koga? She's from the rival team! If you got too close to her she could find out some of our team's secrets. It's not happening. You cannot date her. Besides why would a human date a demon anyway?"

Koga frowned as he stopped looking at his claws and walked away from Inuyasha. "You never know… Lighten up man! I'll see you at the match."

Inuyasha also frowned as he adjusted his sword and walked back into the locker rooms for a pre-game pep talk by their coach. "Stupid human bitches," he muttered. "Nothing but trouble..."

_**

* * *

Author's Notes:**_

_My apologies for setting the Inuyasha universe in Los Angeles, CA. All of my other Inuyasha stories have taken place in Japan—so this is an abrupt deviation from my usual modus operandi. But I did want to say that this story grew out of my time in Southern California ('SoCal'). While I was in college I was amazed at the intense college rivalry between USC and UCLA. (The two colleges are only 10 miles from each other and the rivalry almost borders on sheer hate.) I had university press passes and I even covered a few games in Los Angeles while I was in college. (If you are wondering, I went to college at UC Santa Barbara and was able to avoid most of the USC and UCLA rivalry.) 90 percent of this story is inspired by Inuyasha, but the other 10 percent is all about the things I observed in SoCal while I attended college. I hope you have as much fun reading this as I did writing it._


	2. Chapter 2: The Main Event

**The Main Event

* * *

  
**

_**Exhibition Game****  
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum  
Los Angeles, CA****  
USC (University of Shikon Cadets)  
vs. UCLA (Universal College for the Lost Arts)

* * *

  
**_

The warm winds gently drifted past the many fans of the two rival teams at the LA Memorial Coliseum. One side of the stadium bore the red and yellow colors of USC. The other side of the stadium sported the blue and gold colors of UCLA. It was well known that USC was a college for spiritually minded humans who wanted to learn the holy arts or who wanted to learn how to fight against demons. UCLA was a reputed college for demons who wanted to prefect their demon skills or who wanted to learn to protect themselves from holy powers. The two colleges were natural rivals and every year they would fight in two large telecast games.

This was the year's first event and was merely an exhibition game. The famed Lexus Gauntlet would not be fought over until the next game the following Spring. However, as with any game between these two rival colleges. The intense fanfare and screams rocked the stadium.

The exhibition games had already started and pairs of opposing demonic and holy teams had already been fighting. However, every fight was only a prelude to the real fight that was about to begin. Everyone had been waiting for the finale.

An announcer broadcast throughout the stadium, "Ladies and gentlemen. For your enjoyment the final fight between holy and demonic powers is about to commence. For UCLA and the demons we have, Team captain, Sesshomaru Taisho!"

The stadium lit up with screams as the silver haired demonic lord gracefully floated onto the middle of the field. He was wearing an elaborate kimono with a blue and gold obi matching his schools colors. He was even wearing silver plated armor across his upper torso and two swords against his side. An image of him was lit up onto the electronic billboards across the stadium as the fans screamed even more wildly. Sesshomaru's stats showed up on the side of the board with his senior rank and his age of 22 years was displayed. Several hoots could be heard from the crowd and it was soon obvious that he had quite a following from the females (and even some males) in the audience.

"Next we have, Inuyasha Taisho!"

Screams erupted from the blue and gold sections as his image was plastered all over the electronic billboards. His rank as a sophomore and his age of 19 was displayed. An image of a cocky looking man with long silver hair and pale white dog-like ears glimmered across the screens. While his image was displayed a man in a deep red kimono strolled lazily across the field to met up with his older brother.

"And rounding off the UCLA Demon team is Koga Okami of the wolf-tribe!"

The blue and gold part of the stadium continued to cheer as the smirking image of the pointy eared wolf demon filled the screens. His deep blue eyes and long black hair held up in a pony-tail filled the electronic billboards. Beside the electronic image his rank as a sophomore and his age of 19 was displayed. Koga also ran out of the locker rooms so quickly that he looked like a whirlwind before he touched down next to his compatriots.

"And now for the opposing team, USC of the holy order!"

Cheers erupted from the red and yellow sections while boos and catcalls erupted from the blue and gold areas.

"Team captain, Miroku Moroboshi!"

Screens erupted with pictures of a man with black hair, a short pony tail and many gold rings in each ear. He looked almost like a gypsy and he had an unnatural lusty glint in his violet eyes. Next to his image his rank as a senior and his age was listed as 21. Soon a man in monk's black and red robes came walking across the field opposite of the demonic team with a golden shakujo in his hands.

"And arriving together on Kirara the demonic cat is Sango Taijiya the slayer and Kagome Higurashi the miko!"

Wild screams erupted again, however this time they were from both sides of the stadium as a black ninja clad warrior woman with pink armor plates around her arms, legs and lower torso flew in on her demon cat. Held behind her was an extraordinarily large boomerang bigger than the woman herself. Cradled behind the slayer was a miko with long flowing black hair tied up with a white silk pony-tail holder. She was wearing the traditional miko garb of long flowing red hakama pants and a white haori top. Looped onto her shoulder was a long bow and a quiver of arrows.

Simultaneous images of Sango and Kagome lit up the electronic screens. An image of Sango in her skin-tight black clad ninja outfit lit up the billboards with her rank as a senior and her age was listed as 21. Wild hoots could be heard from many men in the audience as they ogled the image. Next to her was a smiling image of another beautiful girl with long black hair and with red and white miko robes. Her rank was a sophomore and her age was listed as 19.

Soon the flying demonic cat landed near to Miroku and both girls got out to stand next to their teammate.

Soon both teams were standing tall, side by side, on opposite ends of the field as the crowd continued to roar. The holy order of Miroku, Sango and Kagome stood together. While opposing them on the field were the demonic team of Sesshomaru, Inuyasha and Koga.

Koga jabbed at Inuyasha as the two girls held their weapons fiercely. "That's the girl I was talking about. The one in the miko robes," said Koga in a hushed tone.

Inuyasha's golden eyes fell lazily against the girl. "What's so special about her?" he asked.

"Man, you didn't get to see her in the mini-skirt. You should have seen her long, creamy legs. Too bad that her hakama pants cover her all up," answered Koga.

Inuyasha did note that she was pretty and that there was something about her long black hair draped over her shoulders that looked seductive. But he quickly dismissed his thoughts.

"Time to get your head in the game, Koga," he muttered. "The shows about to start." Inuyasha smirked as he flexed his hands and cracked his knuckles in anticipation.

Sesshomaru nodded to his teammates. "Koga you will take down Sango, Inuyasha you will take down Kagome and I will take down the monk. Do not fail or I will make sure that you regret it," said Sesshomaru in icy tones.

"Yes, captain," answered Koga.

"Whatever brother," said Inuyasha with a bored drawl.

"Don't get cocky little brother. The miko is actually one of the toughest members of the party," warned Sesshomaru.

"Humpf! That silly little human girl? Watch me make mincemeat out of her," said Inuyasha as he flexed his claws.

"Don't hurt her too badly!" said Koga in sudden fear. "I want to ask her out after this and she needs to be in one piece!"

Inuyasha only rolled his eyes as he stood next to Sesshomaru.

Suddenly a pistol cracked and the game began. The players from either end of the stadium raced toward each other. Sesshomaru floated up and towards Miroku the monk. Koga and Inuyasha separated as Sango flew up alone on her demonic cat.

Miroku and Kagome stood together silently and readied their weapons. Miroku had his staff raised in front of him and Kagome had an arrow notched and ready.

"Just a moment longer, Kagome. Not until you see the whites of his eyes," Miroku said calmly as Sesshomaru came barging down on them with his poisonous claws emitting green-like vapors.

When he was only moments away Kagome's bow sang as a sacred purification arrow shot out. Soon a pure bolt of white and pink flame erupted to meet up with Sesshomaru. The arrow wasn't enough to kill the demon, but it was powerful enough to knock him out of the sky and to momentarily disable him.

As Sesshomaru fell to the ground he was able to tuck and roll before standing up again. But he wobbled as he stood and Miroku was right there with holy o-fuda scrolls that he hit against the demon lord, crippling him. Miroku then leveled his golden shakujo against the demon lord as yet another o-fuda was struck across his forehead. Soon the draining power of Kagome's purification attack and the power of the o-fudas had Sesshomaru unmoving on the floor of the stadium.

Loud boos rang out from every female in the stand and from the blue and gold section of the stands. But the boos were met with screams of joy as the first strike of the match was met out by the red and yellow team of USC.

"Hiraikotsu!" yelled Sango from her demonic mount that was flying high in the sky. The boomerang bone was aimed at Koga, but his demonic speed was fast and he was able to avoid the barrage. Soon Sango's boomerang came swiftly back to her as she grabbed it in her hands and circled with the flaming demonic cat within the confines of the stadium. She held her hand steady and was about to let the weapon loose again.

Meanwhile, Inuyasha was prepared to attack Kagome who had been distracted by attacking Sesshomaru with her purification bolt. She had no idea that he was even approaching her. Soon he made a swipe to her head with his claws. He didn't want to claw her face, but he figured a quick blow to her head would knock her out of the battle.

At the very last moment he saw her head turn slightly to the right and his claws barely avoided slashing her face. Thin strands of shiny black hair were cut away from her head as he slowly watched her horrified face come into the realization that she was centimeters away from having her face clawed.

'Shit!' Inuyasha thought. Permanent physical injuries were forbidden during these fights. It did happen and there were even the rare occasions when there was a death. But it had been over 15 years since that had happened and he really didn't want to injure the girl. He only wanted to knock her out so that she could no longer fight.

He stepped back in a graceful fluid motion as he prepared his fist this time for another attack. He swung again and this time he faced a white-pink barrier that had erupted all around her body. Inuyasha's clenched hand made contact with the flaming purification power as he hit her in the stomach. She shuddered with the contact as the blow fell, but Inuyasha's power was diminished as he screamed in pain.

Inuyasha grabbed his hand back from where it had hit her stomach. "Ow! Bitch! Fuck!" he yelled as the stinging power of her purification energy engulfed his entire arm from where he hit her.

Kagome was doubled over in pain, but she hesitantly managed to stand up. First she stood up on one knee and then another before she was fully erect again.

"Bitch, I'm going to get you for that!" he yelled in pain as he gripped his hand.

"I'm sorry," was all Kagome said as she deftly grabbed a bow from her quiver and pulled it back into her bow.

"Arrow of sealing!" she yelled as a white flaming arrow flew at him and hit him squarely in the chest where his heart was. Inuyasha felt immense pain as the arrow plunged deep into him. He could recall little else as his pulse started to slow and darkness settled over his eyes.

He really didn't know how long he had been unconscious. The darkness enveloped him and felt like a welcome relief. Soon he felt a tugging at his chest and he screamed as an arrow was pulled from his body. He looked ahead of him in horror to see that same miko pulling the arrow from his chest.

"You fucking bitch!" he yelled at her as he lunged toward her.

"Stop Inuyasha!" his older brother yelled as he was pinned by Sesshomaru and Koga. "The match is over, you can no longer attack."

"She was only removing the arrow," added Koga. "Only the miko who binds a demon…"

"Can unbind him," added Inuyasha as he glared at the miko in front of him.

She looked terrified and surprisingly guilty. "I am so sorry," she exclaimed. "I didn't want to hurt you. I was afraid you'd claw my face off. I'm so sorry!" she added again for emphasis as she bowed in front of him clasping her hands together. "I hope that you are alright," she added.

Inuyasha looked at the girl in shock. He was expecting her to cuss at him or at least be as angry as he felt. Instead he saw compassion and guilt flit across her beautiful face. Widened chocolate brown eyes stared at him and he saw for the first time the beautiful curve of her neck and the fullness of her pink lips. He saw her long flowing black hair sweeping across her shoulders and for a brief moment he forgot about the pain. And then a curious thing happened—he finally noticed her scent. It was a beautiful, gentle scent. Just smelling her calmed him a little, but he could also smell her fear—which put him a little on the edge.

"God damn bitch!" he murmured. However, this time he wasn't yelling—though the anger was still there. "Don't you dare try that again. You put an arrow through my heart!"

Inuyasha watched as her bottom lip quivered and tears started to well up under her eyes. She quickly held back a sob and ran away to her own locker room.

"You mangy mutt!" yelled out Koga as he let loose his grip on Inuyasha. "You nearly clawed off her face and then you get mad at her for protecting herself?"

Koga let go of Inuyasha in disgust as he made his way to where Kagome ran, trying to catch up with her. "Kagome!" he yelled at her retreating form, trying to get her attention. "Can I talk to you? Kagome!"

Sesshomaru's icy tone reverberated beside Inuyasha. "Don't worry little brother. You will get a chance to attack her again. But show some tact next time and try to clean up your language. This match was broadcast on TV."

Inuyasha's eyes momentarily widened as he realized that the censors must have had a hard time with his foul mouth and that his cussing would probably set his team back thousands of dollars in penalties.

"Sorry Sesshomaru," said Inuyasha as he slouched.

"Tell that to Coach Moyga. In the meanwhile, make it up to the team. I have an assignment for you—one that only you can accomplish. I need you to get the other team's secrets. And what I really need to know is that miko's powers. I don't think that she showed all of them today."

"How can I possibly do that?" Inuyasha murmured.

"I overheard our opponents talking and I know where they are going tonight. Come to the locker room with me and I will explain," motioned Sesshomaru as the pair walked under the stands and away from the fading crowds.

Inuyasha looked at the electronic billboard before he finally walked inside. 'Last match: USC is the WINNER!' was emblazoned across its surface. 'We lost…we lost. I'm never going to live this one down,' he thought dryly.

* * *

_**Authors Notes:**_

_#1: I always wondered if a full powered Kagome could take down Sesshomaru. However, she never really fought the demon lord when her powers truly manifested at the end of the manga. This was my little attempt at trying to figure out what would happen if they did indeed go head to head with each other._

_#2: Sesshomaru is slightly out of character in my story. In this story both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru have been raised together by their parents. Since their Dad is still around Sesshomaru isn't as hostile to Inuyasha. Fluffy still has some deep-seated resentments and issues with half-breeds. But it isn't as pronounced as in the manga._

_#3: I won't play favorites for either the USC or UCLA teams, so please don't read into anything if one team wins or looses._

_#4: I was in Southern California when the LA riots happened. I'll always remember the event that boiled down to an eruption over race. I hope that you can see layers of a race issue permeating my story, but instead of black and white we have human and demon—and if you want to read into it—Montague and Capulet. My story won't have that as a central issue, but keep it in the back of your mind._


	3. Chapter 3: Karaoke Night

**Karaoke Night**

"Why am I here?" Inuyasha thought as he looked around him in the microbrewery near the Santa Monica pier. The bar was crowded and it was karaoke night. Loud music pumped through the area with sweltering crowds of men and women bumping into each other. Smells of beer filled his nostrils as he looked at the sticky swills of beer that were all over the wooden counters. He finished nursing the amber lager that he had obtained with his fake ID and made his way to the singing area.

"Sesshomaru said that they would be here," he thought. "Where are they?"

He glanced left and right as he made his way through the crowds. He was looking for a woman with long black hair and miko's robes. But there was no one matching that description in the bar. Normally he could have scented her out, but tonight was his human night. He felt so lost without his normal demonic senses. No enhanced sense of smell or hearing. Though he did note wryly that having normal hearing was sometimes a good thing when you were in a crowded bar with loud pumping stereo music.

Suddenly he heard someone calling Kagome's name and he jerked his head around to see Sango pushing Kagome onto the karaoke stage. Inuyasha looked up at her and gaped at the sight. Now he realized while he hadn't recognized her. The last time he had seen her she was wearing miko garb with long red hakama pants and a long white top that covered every part of her. He was completely unprepared to see the priestess wearing a white leather mini-skirt that tightly wrapped her hips and a silver corset that emphasized her round breasts. She was showing a fair amount of skin. For the first time he really noticed her pretty figure that curved in all of the right places. He looked at her again to see chocolate brown eyes that sparkled in the harsh bar lightening and her hair that fell in long ebony locks around her beautiful face.

"Sango! Stop it!" muttered the miko.

"No can do, Kagome. Get up there and sing. It's the only thing that will help your mood," shot back the smiling Sango.

Kagome sighed and blew at her bangs as she surveyed the room and stood behind a microphone stand. "So who is man enough to sing with me?" she asked.

"This is my opening," he thought as Inuyasha made a small leap onto the wooden platform. "Did you say that you needed a singing partner?" he asked while doing his best to show his most charming smile.

"If you can sing," she answered with a shy grin. "Hey, Dominic! Play song #456."

"What's Song 456?" asked Inuyasha as he walked up to the second microphone on the stage and picked up the mike.

"Life is a Highway…," said Kagome as she started to move and sway to the beat of the music that started to play over the bar's stereo equipment. Inuyasha couldn't help but to be distracted by her movements as she rocked her hips and clapped her hands together before slapping her hands against her smooth thighs. He couldn't help but to look at her long legs that stretched so nicely from under her short skirt. Koga was right. She did have legs to die for.

He couldn't help but think of a new change of plans. Yes, he would do everything to find out about her team and any weaknesses. But another plan was starting to make its way through his jumbled brain. If he could fuck her and then steal her bra or panties... Wouldn't it be embarrassing if he could flash her undergarments on nationwide TV before a match? Wouldn't that completely unnerve her? And best of all, he thought, he really wouldn't mind fucking something so lovely. And there would be no need to feel guilty about it. The bitch deserved it after what she did to him. She would deserve every iota of pain that he could dish out at her after she had shot an arrow through his heart.

But he needed to think of other things. He smirked as the music coursed and pulsed around him. This was his element. He held his microphone in his hands as if they were lips that he needed to kiss. He had been in a band for the better part of the year. He was used to singing in public and hamming it up for the audience. He knew that the chicks loved it when he looked like he was making love to his microphone or his guitar. He was prepared to put on a show again.

He rocked his hips as he started to sing. His voice was clear, masculine and steady as he sung the lyrics that appeared on the karaoke screen.

_Life's like a road that you travel on__  
When there's one day here and the next day gone__  
Sometimes you bend and sometimes you stand__  
Sometimes you turn your back to the wind__  
There's a world outside ev'ry darkened door  
Where blues won't haunt you anymore  
Where brave are free and lovers soar  
Come ride with me to the distant shore_

He looked over at Kagome slyly. She seemed almost surprised. "Good she's taking the bait", he thought. He also noticed that some of the patrons at the bar were starting to take notice. He even smiled at a girl in the audience who seemed to be following his rocking hips. She noticed his gaze and blushed.

"I haven't lost my touch!" he thought as he waited for Kagome to sing her lyrics.

Kagome's fingers drummed to the beat against the tall mike stand. Her raven black hair waved as her shoulders started to move with the music and her waist swayed. She gripped the silver microphone stand between her long smooth legs and rocked against it as the music throbbed. Suddenly Inuyasha was feeling a little jealous of the simple piece of metal that was between her legs.

He was amazed at how clear and angelic her voice was. She wasn't a casual singer. He could tell right off that she had been classically trained. Her notes were too perfect and her pitch was exactly on key.

_Life is a highway  
I wanna ride it all night long  
If you're going my way  
I wanna drive it all night long_

His eyes couldn't help but to look over at her thighs that gripped the microphone pole between them. Her hips bucked against the pole as she sang, "_I wanna ride…_"

"Shit. Fuck," he thought. She was making love to her mike stand in the middle of the crowded bar and he noticed that the men in the audience were staring.

Suddenly he was angry at all of the men for staring at her. He was planning to fuck her and no one else was supposed to look at her that way. Then he had to stop himself. Where did that thought come from? It's not like she was anything other than a rival and perhaps a quick fuck--a fuck that was only about humiliation and nothing more. His stiff male pride continued singing. But now his smirk was gone and he had a frown on his face.

_Knock me down get back up again  
__You're in my blood__  
I'm not a lonely man  
There's no load I can't hold  
Road so rough this I know  
I'll be there when the light comes in_  
Just tell 'em we're survivors

She gazed at him and her eyes lit up. She seemed to be nodding to him in approval. Kagome opened her mouth and a lovely angelic voice poured fourth. It mesmerized him and he almost forgot to echo her voice after she finished each line.

_There was a distance between you and I  
A misunderstanding once  
But now we look it in the eye  
Whoooo…._

Then she strutted up to him with the microphone stand left and only her mike in her hands. He decided to meet her halfway across the stage with his own mike. She pressed her small hand against his chest as she sang into the mike while looking directly into his eyes. He could only help but smirk as he decided to take it up a notch. One of his hands held the mike, but with his available hand he traced her bodies' curves in front of the entire audience. Then he moved so close to her that there was only a hairsbreadth between them. She gasped in surprise as he clasped her waist against his and rocked his hips against her on stage as they sung the final lyrics together. Her surprise was short-lived and soon she was raising her arm directly over her head and lifting her head to arch her back. He felt her soft breasts push up against the hard planes of his chest as she pressed against him. He decided that he was not going to try to make love to his microphone on stage anymore. Instead he decided that Kagome would be the one who would receive his attention. Their bodies rocked together and their hands caressed each other on stage as they finished their lyrics.

_Life is a highway  
I wanna ride it all night long  
If you're going my way  
I wanna drive it all night long  
Gimme gimme gimme gimme yeah  
If you're going my way  
I wanna drive it all night long_

Kagome's eyes glimmered as the song faded away. She smiled at him and then moved away. It wasn't until she left his side that he noticed that he wanted her warmth to stay next to him.

"Hey, you just can't walk away like that," he murmured.

She turned and smiled back to him as she put her mike back in its holder. "Walk away?" she asked quizzically.

"Kagome!" a voice was calling out to her. They both turned to see the other two members of her team calling out to her. Inuyasha instinctively grimaced when he saw Sango the Demon Slayer and Miroku the Monk staring up at him. Just like Kagome they were sporting casual clothes rather than their fighting gear. Sango was wearing black leather pants and a black wife beater. Miroku was dressed in black casual jeans and a purple dress shirt that was unbuttoned at the top. "Kagome-chan, Miroku and me want to ditch this place and get something to eat. Are you coming?" asked Sango.

Kagome put her hand to her forehead. "Do I want to spend the entire evening watching you two make out?" she asked rhetorically. "Actually no…," said Kagome as she started to walk off of the stage.

Sango spoke up again. "I thought that you were done sulking, Kagome," added Sango as she grabbed the miko's arm.

"Sulking?" wondered Inuyasha as he watched Kagome's face pucker with a frown.

Sango continued, "What about the man you just sang with…?" Sango turned to look at Inuyasha. "Hey! What's your name?"

He had to think fast. It wasn't as if he could tell everyone his real name. He was here undercover, so to speak and needed another alias for the evening. "Ummm, my name is Ash," he said while scratching his head.

"Well, Ash. Would you like to be Kagome's date this evening? She won't hang out with us if I don't get a guy to accompany her."

Inuyasha grinned. This was working out so well on so many different levels. He decided to throw out the charm again, which was extremely difficult for him—but necessary. "I would be delighted to accompany Kagome on a date."

Kagome tried to open her mouth to speak, but Sango cut her off. "But…"

"Now that's settled. Come on Miroku, Kagome, Ash. A great burger joint is just a few blocks away."

Inuyasha put his arm against the small of Kagome's back as they all walked out of the bar. He couldn't help but to grin. The evening was progressing extremely well.

_**Author's Notes:**_

_#1: 'Life is a Highway' by Rascal Flatts from the 2006 Cars Soundtrack was used for this chapter. If you can, I recommend playing it in the background as you read._

_#2: Yes, Inuyasha is a little out of character. He was trying REALLY hard to be charming during this chapter in order to weasel his way into learning about the opposing team and to try to get Kagome in bed. You can glimpse his character much better when you read his thoughts._

_#3: I'm looking for rock music style duets for Kagome and Inuyasha to sing together. If anyone has any recommendations, please pass them along. The songs don't necessarily have to be duets, but could be solo songs that can be broken down between two singers._


	4. Chapter 4: A Burger and a Shake

**A Burger and a Shake**

_In and Out Burger, Santa Monica_

* * *

The entire group had made their way to an 'In-And-Out Burger' joint near the Santa Monica pier. Everyone had ordered 'double-double' burgers, fries and milkshakes. They had found a nice spot on the patio under a plastic red umbrella and were actually having a fairly good time enjoying each other's company.

Since everyone was feeling relaxed, Inuyasha felt like it was time to move the conversation to the recent fight. He would never learn anything unless he could get this group to start talking about it.

"So is this night out on the town a celebration?"

Miroku looked up at Inuyasha quizzically. "Celebrate what?"

"Your victory over UCLA," said Inuyasha smirking.

Sango put her hands over her eyes and Kagome groaned. "You'd have to bring that up?" asked Kagome as she started to become extremely interested in her milkshake.

"Why aren't you happy that you won?" he asked in complete befuddlement.

"I shot a guy in the heart and you're asking if I'm happy?" Kagome asked in exasperation.

"Well, he's just a demon, you shouldn't be too upset…," added Inuyasha in confusion.

He was momentarily lost as he saw a rage strike Kagome that he didn't know the girl even possessed. "Don't you dare, EVER, say something like that about someone just because of who they are. Demons have just as much rights as everyone else. We live in the 21st century you know. This isn't the feudal era!"

It took seconds for Inuyasha to respond to the unexpected and blistering attack. "I mean. Damn! You're taking this all the wrong way. I mean he's part demon right? So he heals quick. He'll be OK. Don't worry about it," Inuyasha added defensively.

Kagome's anger left her body and she momentarily sagged in her chair. "Oh I thought you meant..." She paused before she continued, "You weren't there. You didn't see the way he looked at me when I fired the arrow at him…and…," she added as she stifled back a sob.

Inuyasha was shocked, but he continued on as his curiosity overcame him, "And…?" he added.

"And he yelled at me, cussed at me, called me a bitch after I pulled out the arrow. He was so angry at me. I kept on apologizing. But nothing was good enough," Inuyasha watched her bottom lip quiver again and the tears started the fall down her cheeks again.

Miroku groaned and suddenly Inuyasha felt like shit. He had made her feel this way? But she had shot an arrow through his heart. Right? Didn't she deserve to be upset? For some reason he moved next to her and wiped the tears away that were falling down her cheek. "Damn human night," he thought. "I get too emotional when I'm human."

"Umm…Kagome…he'll be alright. He'll heal. Don't let what he said bother you. I hear he's always gruff like that. Don't take it personally," he added.

"Yeah, I guess," answered the miko. Inuyasha finished dabbing her tears away with a paper napkin and he couldn't help but feel the irony of the situation. Here he was comforting this woman from the very things he had said hours ago.

"Why do you let what he said bother you anyway? He's just a guy from a rival team. Don't even think about him," added Inuyasha.

Sango looked at him knowingly before she sipped at her milkshake. Miroku paused a brief moment to stare at Inuyasha and Kagome. "He's right you know," added Miroku. "He's only a rival and you need to develop a stronger skin Kagome. You can't participate in college level sports at the level we are in without developing a skin of iron."

"I know Miroku, I know. It's just that if I get this tough skin that you want me to have. Then I don't know if I will be myself anymore. I want to care about people. I want people to like me."

"Caring is nice Kagome. But you can't care for everyone. And no matter what you do, some people will always dislike you. In fact I would say with a high degree of probability that most of UCLA hates all of our team. That's just how things are. You need to accept it," answered Miroku.

"Miroku," said Sango as she put her hand on his. "Kagome's just a little more sensitive than normal because of 'who' we are talking about."

Miroku sighed as he brushed his hand through his hair. "Listen Kagome, stop thinking about him. I think his behavior today clearly showed that he is not someone that you should ever think about that way."

"Think about that way? What are they talking about Kagome?" asked Inuyasha.

Kagome started to blush and Inuyasha noted that she looked rather pretty when the pink tones hit her cheeks, her neck and upper torso. He could tell that the blush ran all of the way down to the swells of her breasts that were framed by her lovely silver corset. He couldn't help but to think if the blush extended even farther down before he glanced back up at her face.

"I….ummmm…it's nothing Ash, nothing," added Kagome.

Inuyasha stared at her face. She was blushing and stammering. It wasn't nothing. What was going on?

"Good!" murmured Miroku. "It is nothing and will be nothing. I'm glad that you figured that out. Now why don't I run across to that store and get us some sake and beer? Then we can head to the Santa Monica pier for some fun. Ash is right everyone. We should be celebrating and as your team captain I order you to! Especially you Kagome!"

Kagome looked up at Miroku and smiled. There was a momentary stillness in Inuyasha's chest as she looked at him. Her smile was brilliant and he felt like it could light up the LA skyline with its warmth.

He also thought wryly as he looked at Kagome that he was happy to hear what she had said about demons having the same rights as everyone else. Yes, it was the 21st century, but even to this day humans and demons rarely dated or even married. His parents had been an exception to the rule--an exception that had pained him his entire life. But if his Mom could accept a demon, then maybe Kagome could as well. "Maybe she… That's it!" he thought. He shook his head and took a bite out of his double-double burger and chewed with a purpose. "No god-damned human is going to get me thinking about her," he thought as he quickly finished off his burger.

* * *

_**A big thanks to my Beta blackdeathmessenger who also came up with Inuyasha's band name and is helping me with some of the songs that I will be choosing for this fict.**_

* * *

_**Special Thanks to the Following Reviewers:**_

_Serenity Anne__: I'm glad that you are enjoying it. Stick around._

_Purple-Converse-AllStar__: Gosh, good question. I hope that Kagome's odd behavior starts to make more sense by the end of the next chapter. (She does act differently when she __**knows**__ Inuyasha is around.) There is a reason why she was acting the way she was. And most of the seduction was on Inuyasha's side—not Kagome. She did a little bit of it, but that was only because she was depressed and was trying to loose herself in the moment. She's also used to singing in public and was very comfortable on stage. Inuyasha is egging her own since he is the one who is really trying to get her in bed. I'm glad that you liked the idea of them fighting in a championship. I was having a lot of fun with it. And oh, they still have the tournament fight ahead of them!_

_sofiakalaughable__: I'm glad that you seem to be having fun with the story. As far as Inuyasha goes, was it that obvious? But then again poor Inuyasha wasn't always the best judge of his own feelings._


	5. Chapter 5: Talking at the Pier

**Talking at the Santa Monica Pier**

_This is a two chapter posting. Go back a chapter if you haven't read the fourth chapter._

* * *

After about an hour the entire group had gone through two six-packs of Corona and an entire bottle of sake. Soon they had split up into two groups. Miroku and Sango were dancing on the sand under the pier. Inuyasha and Kagome were sitting by the piers' edge with beers in their hands. Inuyasha noted that Kagome was a lightweight, but he was happy to see that the alcohol just made her looser and happier. Some drunks were unbearable to be around, but that wasn't the case with Kagome. At least she was a happy drunk.

Inuyasha had always been able to handle his alcohol, perhaps it was because of the lingering demonic blood in his veins. He wasn't even feeling a buzz. It was just as well. He needed to keep his wits about him as he tried to wheedle information from the rest of the USC team.

He turned to focus on Kagome who was smiling and laughing next to him with a Corona in her hands. It was half-empty and he was doing everything he could to cajole her into finishing her beer.

"Oh no," she sighed as she spoke slowly. "That sake really packed a whammy. I'm going to pay for this tomorrow…"

"Then watch me finish my beer," said Inuyasha as he chuckled and chugged down his beer. He finished by wiping his chin with his sleeve before looking back at Kagome. She smiled at him again and looked at his chin.

"You didn't get it all," she murmured as she leaned in next to him and was inches away from his chin. "There's still some more there…," she said while pointing to his chin.

"Why don't you lick it off?" he asked with a smirk.

He heard her giggle and then she complied with a dainty flick of her tongue on his chin. He then moved his chin just enough so that her tongue was right on his mouth. He quickly moved to pull her tongue into his mouth and kissed her thoroughly. He tossed what was left of his beer bottle aside and wrapped his arms around her neck.

She seemed surprised at first, but after a moment her mouth responded in kind and her arms gingerly wrapped around his neck.

The kiss was meant to be seductive. But Inuyasha felt himself enjoying it as well. He knew that she had a wonderful scent and he had been wondering for most of the evening if she tasted just as good as she smelled. It was lovely. She smelled of cherry blossoms, but she also tasted of jasmine. Of course there was a little edge to her taste with the sake and beer. He hoped to try this again when she was fully sober. She would taste even better when there was no alcohol in her system.

The kiss was lingering and long. When Inuyasha finally broke off the kiss and pulled away he found her eyes glazed over and partially closed. Her arms were still dangling around his neck.

"Wow!" she said while looking deep into his eyes. He smiled back at her with a smirk.

Inuyasha then took up her body and rearranged her in front of him so that her back was cradled in his chest. As he moved her he noticed a large purple bruise right under the bottom of her silver corset.

"Kagome, what's this?" he said in horror as he pointed to the purple skin that lied between her white mini-skirt and silver top. It was large, fresh and completely ugly on the miko's otherwise perfect skin.

"Oh that," she murmured in a tone of voice that seemed to belie not the slightest bit of concern that she had such a large bruise on her abdomen. "It's from the game today. That's what happens when you play college sports--sometimes you get injured."

Inuyasha touched the dark purple bruise gingerly. "I'm so sorry," he said with genuine distress.

Kagome looked at him in confusion. "What are you sorry for? Inuyasha gave it to me. You had nothing to do with it," she said as she smiled shyly at him.

He then wrapped his arms around her and buried his head in her hair. Inuyasha breathed deeply, he could smell her scent so clearly now that she was next to him. The calming scent of cherry blossoms, it was lovely. "I'm so sorry," he said again as he looked at the perplexed miko. With his arms around her they simply sat together in a comfortable silence for a few moments before Inuyasha came back to the original reason why he was supposed to be here.

"So," he said as he tried to come up with a topic of conversation that might give him information about the USC team. "What made you decide to be a miko warrior for USC?"

He heard a heavy sigh coming from her and she responded. "A guy…"

For some reason he couldn't help but to feel a little unnerved by her declaration. "A guy?" he asked.

"Yeah, I wanted to met a guy who was already on a team. I thought that if I was on a team that I could finally meet him."

"So what happened?"

Kagome burped. "Oh uh, I finally got to meet him and he…he hated my guts…"

"Hated your guts?"

"Yeap," said Kagome as she peered into her beer bottle and then decided to give it another swig in spite of her declaration not to drink anymore. "I had a crush on the jerk and he hates my guts…"

"You had a crush on a guy? Who?"

"Doesn't matter," said Kagome. "That's what Sango says anyway. So, what about you? Are you in college, too?"

"Uhhh," Inuyasha had to think fast. Only people with demonic blood went to UCLA. He couldn't tell her that was where he was from. "UCSB," he answered. Everyone knew the Universal College of Studious Brethren that wasn't nearly as studious as its name implied. The real nickname to the college was 'U Can Study Buzzed'. The partying atmosphere of the college had put a real damper on its academic prowess for years.

"Oh, you go to UCSB up north. So what's your major?" asked Kagome.

"Oh, well I'm majoring in music." Well, that much was true, though it was certainly secondary to his post-college goal of being a demon player on a national team. That was where the real fame and fortune could be had. "And I'm in a rock band. I think we're pretty good."

"Rock band? That's why you sing so well!" Then she smiled shyly, "You're a natural on the stage."

Inuyasha gave her a genuine smile of surprise. "Oh, you're not that bad yourself. I can tell that you were trained as a singer. And ummm…you really seemed to have everyone's attention when you were singing. Are you studying music?"

Kagome smiled again. "I'm also majoring in music. I love to sing. Hic." Kagome paused to regain her equilibrium. "I'm in the USC college choir. We have a concert in two months if you would like to go."

"Oh I will, if I can. But, I live two hours from here." Kagome stopped and looked at her feet. So Inuyasha stopped and tipped her chin up to look at him. "But I'll try to make it if I can, when is it?" Kagome then turned her head toward him again and smiled brilliantly.

"It's November 30th. Give me your number and I'll get you tickets," she said as she clasped her hands together in happiness.

Soon they both went through the motions of taking each other's pictures and giving each other their cell phone numbers. Inuyasha made sure that his picture of her had a good shot of her lovely silver corset and her breasts and her hair and her big brown eyes. He sighed. She was a nice looking package.

"So tell me about your band," Kagome asked lazily.

"Oh we're just a bunch of misfits," Inuyasha declared. "It's an all guy rock band and we sometimes come here to Los Angeles to play."

"So is that why you're here?" Kagome asked.

"Uh, yeah and my father lives here," added Inuyasha since he didn't want to completely lie to her. His father did own a home in the West Hills.

"So when are you playing again? I'd love to see you sing."

"Uh," oh now he had done it. She couldn't see him as the lead singer of his band in hanyou form. But he did tell her about his band and she was expecting a time and place. And something inside of him was rather happy to know that she wanted to see him sing with his band. "Well, we don't have any new gigs in LA right now. But I'll be back next month. Maybe I could see you then?"

Kagome smiled up at him again. "I'd love that. Please tell me if your band ever plays OK? I'd love to see you sing again. You have talent."

Inuyasha was genuinely pleased and surprised by her comments. He rarely got a compliment. Coach Myoga, his older brother and even his band mates never gave him any praise and coming from her made it seem even more special. "Umm, thank you," he replied unsure of what to say. He then almost slapped himself as he remembered what he was supposed to be doing.

"So tell me about your team at USC. Maybe I could show up to one of your practices sometime?"

"I'd love for you to show up to one of my practices if you could make it," said Kagome as she grinned up at him. "We workout every weekday after five at Cromwell Field."

"And your team…," he said.

"My team? Oh well, you already met Miroku, our team captain, and Sango. We also have Coach Kaede. She's a slave driver. But she says I have talent and she's taken me under her wing. She's firm, but nice. She's teaching me all of her skills."

"Skills? Like what?"

Kagome turned to look at him with a silly smile on her face. "You seem to know about the game I played today? Don't you know?" she answered.

"Uh, well, I don't know everything. All I know is that you seem to have more than the usual amount of abilities for a mere miko."

Kagome fiddled with her beer bottle and frowned. "I didn't mean to have the powers I have. I guess I was born with them. If I had never known Sango or had never thought to even join the team I wouldn't have found out the full extent of my abilities."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, I never really wanted to join the team. I only tried out because of that guy I told you about. Then Kaede had me do some simple exercises. She told me that she knew that I was something special. Pretty amazing isn't it? I went from an average and ordinary student on campus to a celebrity almost overnight. I'm still getting used to the attention."

Inuyasha held her form tightly. She was having some of the same problems that he was facing. They were only sophomores in college. But he was quite certain that she was facing the same pressure and unwanted attention that a college superstar would face--nationwide recruiters who wouldn't leave you alone and fawning classmates. And unlike him, he could tell that she didn't have the thick skin that would have made things easier.

Inuyasha paused in thought. In the back of his mind something was still bothering him and eating away at him. Who was this guy that she kept on talking about, this person that made her want to join the USC team just so that she could meet him?

"This guy Kagome. The one who you joined your team to meet--was he on one of the USC teams?"

"Nooooo….he was on the UCLA team. The jerk."

Inuyasha's brain stumbled and tried to wrap his mind around the new information he was given. "Uh, who on the UCLA team did you have a crush on…?"

Kagome hiccupped. "Oh just a guy with these really cute ears," added Kagome dreamily. "But that doesn't matter. Hic. Ummm…Ash…do you think…?"

Inuyasha's brain was reeling by now. "Do I think…?" asked Inuyasha.

Kagome looked up at him, her eyes wide and her body was limp in his arms. "Do you think I'm a...a...bitch?" she finally finished.

"No, why would you think that?" he asked.

"Hic. That's what he called me. He called me a bitch. That jerk. I had a crush on him for over a year. I have his picture on my wall and he calls me a bitch. Well, I'll show him! For my next match I'm going to get him!" Kagome tried to stand up and did her best to try to pantomime her hitting someone with her fist. But the result was just comic and she ended up loosing her balance. Inuyasha had to get up and grab her before she hit the ground.

Inuyasha held her in his arms. Her limp body was firmly held by his. She sighed again and rested her head against his chest.

"Called her a bitch?" he thought. "Cute ears? UCLA? No it couldn't be?" Inuyasha looked down at Kagome and smiled. He should have been smirking, but for some reason he just smiled wistfully and hugged her even closer to his body. "She likes me," he thought. "She has a crush on me." Suddenly all thoughts of trying to get information about her team and her powers went out the window. He was just happy to hold her. It wasn't everyday that a cute human declared a crush on a half-breed.

* * *

_**Author's Notes:**_

_#1: I'm not a big sports fan, but since I covered a few games in college I couldn't help but learn about college sports. The college players themselves had an immense amount of pressure for them to perform and I can only imagine what it must have been like to be a celebrity on your own college campus. That's the sort of situation I am imagining for Inuyasha and Kagome._

_#2: I'm going on vacation for two weeks. I might post while I am gone, or I might not. We'll just see how my vacation goes. I'll be back in mid-August. Have a great Summer. I'll post at least two more chapters by the end of August. This story is really flowing well. I can't stop writing sometimes._


	6. Chapter 6: Back at UCLA

**Back at UCLA**

The morning light was streaming into an apartment in Westwood. The yellow beams fell onto a hanyou with silver hair, two white dog-like ears and golden eyes. Inuyasha was laying on his bed staring at his cell phone. The picture he had taken of her last night was pretty cute. Her ebony hair looked windswept as it hung over her shoulders and her silver corset showed off her lovely figure. He looked briefly at her huge chocolate colored eyes and her pouty pink lips. Then he pulled out a picture he had printed out this morning from the USC athletics department website. It was Kagome's press photo that had been emblazoned on all of the electronic bulletin boards the day of the game. It was strange to see her in miko robes, he preferred her in a mini-skirt. But now that he started to look at the photo he could see something that he never saw before. Her eyes sparkled and he found that he liked the way her black hair dipped over her shoulders before being drawn into a pony-tail behind her back. She was gorgeous. And even more surprisingly she didn't seem to have any problem with demons. She had even gone so far as to almost tear his head off when he said something derogatory about them. And then to add to all of this she had practically declared that she had a crush on him. "Maybe…," he thought as he looked at her photo and smiled. Then he sighed and put the printout away. "What am I thinking?" he thought. "She's a rival. Nothing more. Get this out of your system." His thoughts then started to focus back on his original plan. "I need to fuck her and humiliate her. That's all!"

He was left to his reverie for a few more moments before he heard the front doorbell ring. "Koga! Will you get it?" barked Inuyasha.

All Inuyasha heard was moans from his roommate under the tossed covers of Koga's bed across the room. Koga must have been drinking or smoking something last night because he didn't look too good. "Ginta? Hakkaku?" he called. All the he got was more groans and cries that it was too early in the morning to be getting out of bed.

"Dammit," he said as he pulled himself out of bed and made his way to the front door. There standing regally in front of him was his brother Sesshomaru. He was dressed in black slacks and a white dress shirt that was partially unbuttoned. For some reason he had never seen Sesshomaru in any casual clothes and he wondered wryly what his brother would look like in leather rocker gear. He suppressed a laugh as he led his brother inside.

"What's up Sesshomaru?" said Inuyasha as he crossed his arms in front of him.

"Last night," intoned Sesshomaru. "What did you find out? Were they there?"

"Oh," said Inuyasha as he scratched his head. He had actually forgotten that Sesshomaru had sent him to spy on the USC team. "I met up with Kagome, Miroku and Sango. I had some beer and burgers with them. We talked a little about the game…"

"Details, little brother, details," said Sesshomaru impatiently.

As they were talking Koga wandered into the room with bleary eyes and groaned at the sight of Sesshomaru. "Dude. I'm not practicing today. Give us a break."

"I'm not here for you right now, I'm talking with my brother. He was supposed to get us information about the USC team last night." Sesshomaru's attention reverted back to Inuyasha, "Well?" he asked.

Inuyasha smirked and took out his cell phone and flashed the photo to Sesshomaru that he took last night. "I got her cell phone number and she wants to see me again."

"Who?" asked Koga who was rummaging through the refrigerator, which was only filled with beer and take-out leftovers.

"Kagome," said Inuyasha with a smile.

Koga dropped what he was doing. "No way, I was going to ask her out." Koga ran over to peer at Inuyasha's cell phone. "You got a picture of her? After you yelled at her? And that's her cell phone number? Woo wee." He whistled. "That's the outfit I saw her in before the match. It really shows off her…"

"Can it Koga!" interjected Inuyasha before Koga started to talk about Kagome's body.

"Wait man, I want her number. Let me get my cell phone," said Koga as he quickly ran to get his own cell phone.

"So you have a picture of her and her cell number," added Sesshomaru unimpressed.

"And she invited me to her team practice and her next choral concert," said Inuyasha with a smirk. "Her team works out every weekday after five at Cromwell Field."

This last piece of information seemed to impress Sesshomaru. "Hummm, then we need to get you to her team practice sessions so that you can observe the team."

"Oh no," said Inuyasha. "No can do. She met me as a human remember? And I'm only human once a month. There's no way I'm showing up there as a hanyou on USC grounds. Do you want to get me tarred and feathered?"

Sesshomaru paused for a second. "Well, it's a bit of a challenge, but I think Coach Myoga will help us with this one. Follow me."

"Help us? Help us with what?" asked Inuyasha as they started to head out the door. The door closed just as Koga made it around the corner. "Inuyasha, what was her cell phone number again? Inuyasha?!"

Koga just stood there with his cell phone in his hand wondering what happened to Inuyasha and his chance to talk to Kagome again.

* * *

It had been a long afternoon. Sesshomaru had met up with Coach Myoga and let him know about the unique spying opportunity that had been presented to them. Inuyasha just spent the time crossing his arms and snorting when appropriate. There was no way his 'spying mission' was going to be extended. He was not showing up at USC as a hanyou. They would kill him. His stubbornness made everything all the more surprising when he found out that there was a way to get hanyou's to take on their human form when it wasn't their time of weakness. Inuyasha didn't like the way this was going, but he knew that if Coach Myoga was ordering it, that he would have to comply or he would be off the team.

Soon they found themselves at 'Totosai's Weaponry' shop in South Central Los Angeles. Totosai was a legendary metal smith and Inuyasha knew that his father had his sword, the Tessaiga, specially commissioned from Totosai many years before.

Coach Myoga was the first person to speak. "Totosai, I'm here to ask you a favor."

"Hummm," murmured Totosai as he scratched his chest under the green and black stripped shirt that he wore. "What sort of favor?"

Coach Myoga leaned over the counter and looked at Totosai conspiratorially. "I need a concealment charm that keeps this hanyou here in human form."

"Why would you need that?" asked Totosai in confusion.

Coach Myoga whispered across the counter. "He's spying on the USC team, but he needs to be human to do it. You want UCLA to win the next round don't you?"

Totosai looked thoughtfully at Inuyasha. "Spying you say? Hummm, well I might be betting on the next game. And if this could give UCLA the winning edge….But you are asking for a very expensive relic Myoga."

"Box seats for the rest of your life at all UCLA sporting events," added Myoga.

"Hummmm," said Totosai.

Myoga started to add in desperation, "VIP access to all UCLA events. A plaque with your name on it near the chancellors office…"

"No," added Totosai. "I think I need something more relaxing. A bath in a hot spring?"

"Oh, I'll throw in a bath and spa package to Palm Springs!" said Myoga.

"To the one that the UCLA Alumni own and I want a lifetime pass," added Totosai.

"Done!" yelled Myoga. "Now when can we pick it up?"

"Give me three days," said Totosai as he made his way to the back of the store. "You will have it by then."

Soon the trio walked out of the shop and Inuyasha was both troubled and elated by the turn of events. He realized in the back of his mind that he was actually looking forward to seeing Kagome on a regular basis. But now he was having second thoughts about spying on her. And for some reason he found that troubling.

* * *

_**Author's Notes:**_

_Hi folks. You're lucky! My relatives actually have a wireless Internet connection at their home--so here I am posting. I will be posting another chapter again fairly soon (between sightseeing and a wedding I need to attend). I actually spent my 6 hours on my coast to coast flight going over this story and coming out with a comprehensive outline for everything that is about to happen. So everything is now completely mapped out. I even typed up another chapter!  
_

* * *

_**Special Thanks to the Following Reviewers:**_

_Lady Kiome: Don't worry. It will continue. I have quite a few future chapters already written. I just need to edit them.  
_

_blackdeathmessenger: Thank you so much for your awesome list of possible names for Inuyasha's band. I'm using 'Immortal Sin'. I still need help with songs that his band will play. Again, duets or songs that can be duets would be great. And I'm looking for love/lust songs (generally songs about people falling in love) and a song that is something to the effect of 'us against the world'.  
_

_Purple-Converse-AllStar: How is Inuyasha going to get out of this mess? Well, it will be resolved, but it is also the main driving conflict of my story. So just sit back and enjoy the ride. I know exactly how it will end. Will he regret it? Well, that would be telling? :-) Sorry, I have to keep some secrets for now...  
_

_sofiakalaughable: Hummm, Inuyasha mean? I don't know. I'll just call him conflicted right now..._

_Diamond369: Don't worry. It will definitely be finished. I have been working on this even though I am on vacation right now. Oops!_


	7. Chapter 7: Band Practice & Looking Back

**Band Practice & Looking Back**

"So please explain this to me again Ginta?" asked Inuyasha as he held his hand over his eyes as if he had a headache.

Ginta stood next to Inuyasha in confusion as he started to scratch his grey hair that had a black stripe running down the middle. "Um, I have been trying to get us gigs and you know what they have always been saying…," answered Ginta.

Inuyasha didn't know if his headache could get any worse. "That we needed a gimmick. So how is a girl a gimmick?"

"They told me that all-male rock bands are a dime a dozen, but if we had a cute girl dressed in leather that we would stand out and get more gigs!" said Ginta.

Koga walked forward. "Ginta's right. He's the one who handles all of our bookings and he knows what the clubs are telling him. We need something to give us an edge."

"Shit! We're an all male demon band! You can't add a woman to the mix!" added Inuyasha in frustration. "Besides she couldn't even handle us. Too much demonic testosterone!"

"Oh she can handle us alright," added Hakkaku who had tan skin and a blonde mohawk.

Inuyasha stepped in with a sarcastic tone, "Really?"

"I've been living with a pack of wolves all my life. You think that I can't handle you guys?" added Ayame as she walked forward.

Inuyasha was rarely intimidated by anyone--let alone a woman. But she did have the confidence and bearing to walk toward him without flinching. Few women could do it. She cracked her own knuckles as she stared at Inuyasha.

Inuyasha sighed. "OK.OK. But she can't join our band unless she auditions first. Let's play a few cords and see how she sings." Inuyasha paused as he picked up his electric guitar and looked at Ayame and Ginta's startled faces.

"They told me that all I had to do is look good and dance," said Ayame.

"We can turn down her mike so that no one can hear her," said Ginta.

"You've got to be joking," added Koga. "Band members need to be part of the band."

"Well, she will be," answered Ginta with some defensiveness.

Inuyasha just groaned and started to strum his guitar while he tuned it. "OK Ayame. Do you know any songs?"

"Um, I can sing any song by the Pussy Cat Dolls," answered Ayame.

Inuyasha felt that his jaw was starting to twitch. "Pussy Cat Dolls? You've got to be fucking with me," added Inuyasha. "We're a rock band. Do you know any rock songs?"

"Ummm…," was all Ayame could say.

"Do you know any songs from 'Disturbed', 'Metallica', 'Guns n' Roses', 'Alice in Chains', 'Slipknot', 'Lynyrd Skynyrd', 'The Cult'?" asked Inuyasha with growing anger as the girl simply shook her head to each new band that he mentioned.

Ginta started up a few cords from his bass guitar. "I know that she knows this one," he added with a smile.

The band started to recognize the song and started to play the opening verse.

"Fuck, even my grandmother knows that song!" yelled Inuyasha.

"Calm down, bud," said Ginta. "Give the girl a chance."

Inuyasha sighed. She did look the part. She was a demon, so her flaming red hair looked wild and the skintight white jeans and halter top looked good on her. She wasn't exactly what he would want in a female band member, but he conceded that she could look the part.

Soon the chords to _'Born To Be Wild' by Steppenwolf_ started to fill their practice room as Hakkaku, the drummer, started to join in with a beat.

Inuyasha groaned. "At least there is no way that she could screw up this song," he thought as he started to move his fingers over the strings of his guitar with his calloused hands. "Come on girl, start singing!" barked Inuyasha as the first verse of song started to play.

Ayame nervously tapped her hands to her side as she waited for the verse to start up again. She started to sing while looking at a lyric sheet that Ginta pointed out to her and placed on her stand. As Ayame sang, her words came out as a screech.

_Get your motor runnin'__  
Head out on the highway__  
Lookin' for adventure  
And whatever comes our way_

Inuyasha winced. She truly sounded like a wolf howling at the moon. "What did I expect from wolf demons?" he thought miserably as he fought the sudden urge to bang his head against the nearest wall.

When the song was done, Ginta was the only one who was still trying to smile. "Wasn't that great?" he beamed.

"Just shoot me," thought Inuyasha.

* * *

By the time Inuyasha and his band mates had made it back to their Westwood apartment his mood was increasingly sour.

"I can't believe that you want her to sing in our band! Nails on a chalkboard sound better than her!" yelled Inuyasha at Ginta.

Koga and Hakkaku simply stood back to watch the fallout.

"I'm telling you again. I told the clubs that we had a sexy female singer who looks good in leather. They're counting on it. We'll loose our gigs if she isn't there," said Ginta sheepishly.

"What did you tell them that for?" asked Inuyasha. "She can't sing. She's going to make us sound bad."

"I'll turn down her mike so that no one can hear her. She only needs to look good," added Ginta.

"Just stay the fuck away from me right now Ginta!" yelled Inuyasha as he brushed him aside and stormed into the room he shared with Koga.

"Shit! Fuck!" was all that he could mutter repeatedly as he paced across his room. Soon he stopped to look at a DVD that was placed on his computer. Myoga had given it to him when they had met with Sesshomaru and Totosai. It was the broadcast of their last match with USC. All of the team members had been required to watch the match and at their next practice they would be talking about what they noticed. It was a standard procedure that they did after every single game they played. They needed to analyze themselves and their opponents. What did they do wrong and what did they do right?

Suddenly Inuyasha wanted to play the DVD. It wasn't because he wanted to analyze the game. He wanted to see what had happened when he was subdued with the sealing spell. And if he could be honest with himself—he also wanted to see Kagome.

He put in the DVD and fast-forwarded it to the part of the match where Kagome took out her arrow and pointed it at him. Because of the roar of the crowds he couldn't hear her words on the DVD. But he remembered what she had said. He looked down at the small figure on the screen and then looked as the camera panned in on her as she rose from her feet. Once the camera zoomed in on Kagome he could see her shaking body and the strain that she was in just stand up after he had punched her in the stomach.

Involuntarily his stomach started to quiver in knots at the thought of hitting her and he thought about the large purple-grey bruise that she had on her stomach. She didn't seem to upset or concerned about the bruise, but he still felt bad about it. "I shouldn't feel upset," he thought. "This is a sport and she knows that." But the guiltiness still clung to him.

He then could see her lips moving and he knew from memory that she was saying, "Arrow of sealing!" as her white flaming arrow came loose and imbedded itself firmly into his heart.

He looked down at his own chest to see where the arrow had pierced it. The arrow was gone, but he still remembered the stiffness and the blackness that accompanied the arrow. Then he looked back on screen and saw something that he never saw before. His body collapsed on the field and Kagome was walking toward him.

"What the hell is she doing?" he thought. "She needs to be looking out for Koga. What's wrong with her?"

As the priestess moved forward and the camera was still zoomed in on her, he noticed tears that were coming out of her eyes.

"What the fuck?" he thought. "Tears?"

The camera then panned away and zoomed in on Koga who was running across the stadium. He dodged yet another attack by the Hiraikotsu as it flew on past him and then turned back to return to its the original owner.

Koga was running around the perimeter and soon he was directly behind Kagome. Inuyasha watched in surprise as the camera zoomed in on the two of them. Kagome was standing over him and was not paying attention to the field.

"What are you doing Kagome?" he yelled at the screen. "Turn around you stupid chick! You're about to be…"

Inuyasha didn't have to finish his sentence. As Kagome had been looking at his unconscious body with a look of concern, Koga was rapidly coming on from behind. He knocked into Kagome's back and she flew forward. Inuyasha was amazed to see that her body fell right onto his and that she was now unconscious as well. He felt his chest again. She had been lying there, right on top of him. He quickly hit the pause button before it panned away from Kagome again. He scanned back a few frames to where she fell on him. Then using his computer he zoomed in even more. Her eyes had tears on them and her lovely head was resting right next to the arrow that she had shot into his heart. He looked at the still shot again. Her beautiful ebony hair had fallen in a pool around her face and a single tear seemed to be dropping down a cheek. She was very pretty he thought. He touched the screen for a second then hit the play button again.

"What the fuck was I thinking?" he thought. "Human bitch shot me in the heart." His hand couldn't help but to touch his left breast where the arrow had been once more as he continued to watch the match that they had lost to USC.

He noticed that Koga had paused momentarily after he had knocked Kagome down. He seemed to be checking on Kagome to make sure that she was alright. That was Koga's fatal error. "Koga watch out!" he yelled as Sango's boomerang bone hit him squarely in the back, rendering him unconscious.

He then heard the roar of the crowd as the stadium's electronic bulletin boards lit up with "USC Winner"! Inuyasha groaned as he relived the moment when he realized that they had lost. It had been hard to return to school the next day. He had heard far too many snide remarks about how a mere miko had taken him down. Luckily she had also taken down Sesshomaru, otherwise he was quite certain that his older brother would have been joining in on the criticism.

He sighed and ran his hand through his long silver hair before he looked down at his cellphone and flipped it open again. Soon he was paging through his contact list and found Kagome's picture and phone number again. He hit the green call button on his cell and waited for Kagome to answer her phone.

"Hey, Kagome—it's me, Ash," he said. "I'm actually staying here in LA longer than I expected…No, my family just wanted me to be around more…so I'm only commuting to UCSB on Tuesday and Thursday…Yeah, well that means I can…Yeah sure, I'd love to see you again…On Monday, right Cromwell field…I'll meet you there…See you later…"

There was a slight smile on his face that quickly turned to a frown as he flipped his cell phone shut and then started watching the DVD of the game again on his laptop.

* * *

_**Special Thanks to the Following Reviewers:**_

_Lady Kiome: Kagome definitely remembers what happened while she was 'slightly' drunk. I think the kiss is especially prominent in her mind. She might not remember everything she said, but she definitely remembers the kiss. How does she feel about the human side of Inuyasha (i.e. Ash)? That starts to come out more in the next two chapters. So wait and see...  
_

_blackdeathmessenger: I'm also looking for a song similar to Def Leppard's 'Animal' if you can find any. Right now I'll be using that song, but if you can find anything like it, let me know...  
_

_Diamond369: Is he? :-) Hee hee  
_


	8. Chapter 8: Double Date

**Double Date**

Inuyasha stared ahead at Cromwell field on the USC campus. It was a long and low stadium that was mainly used for track and field work. He was sitting at the bleachers in his usual spot. He had been meeting Kagome here for the past week and it was beginning to feel like it was natural part of his routine. He looked down at Kagome who was finishing off her last lap around the track with Sango at her side. Her long raven black hair was tied up in a braid that bobbed up and down as her hips swung from side to side as she jogged. His eyes just couldn't help but to be drawn to the sway of her hips. She was wearing burgundy red nylon sport shorts with yellow stripes along the sides. He looked at where the tops of her tan thighs met the nylon fabric and he couldn't help but think about what was hidden underneath. Then his eyes moved back up to her burgundy cotton top which had the glimmerings of sweat pouring onto it from between her breasts and on spine of her back. Her skin was glistening in the sun and he really wished that his sense of smell wasn't so deadened by the ring on his finger. He wanted to smell her and to catch her wonderful scent.

He turned the silver ring again and again. Totosai had come through as he had promised and gave the magical ring to Myoga. And to make Inuyasha's 'spying job' even easier, Myoga had even rescheduled all of their UCLA team workouts so that Inuyasha could come on by to see USC's workouts on every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He had been instructed to learn the signals that Coach Kaede was using and to see if there were any new techniques that the team was learning.

He could honestly say that he really could care less about the 'signals' he was supposed to be paying attention to or any new techniques that they were supposed to be taught. He spent most of his time blissfully staring at Kagome. His first fascination with her had come when he had first caught her wonderful gentle scent during the exhibition game. It was a mesmerizing scent. Few humans could ever really understood how important scent was to most demons, especially to a dog demon like him. It was just as important as how attractive the person looked. And she had a lovely scent of cherry blossoms and jasmine. And she was also gorgeous. He remembered when he first caught sight of her at the karaoke bar in her white leather mini skirt. He remembered singing with her and he remembered her beautiful voice. He continued staring at her as she jogged around the field. He even waved at her as she jogged on by and she waved back with a brilliant smile on her lips. He probably didn't notice it, but he smiled right back at her with a goofy grin. He felt content. Well that was as long as he didn't think about the real reason why he was supposed to be here. He was supposed to be spying on her and she was just a rival on another team. He was here to learn everything he could about the USC team and there was that other plan of his to get her into bed. He pushed these thoughts to the back of his mind and decided to be wholly in the moment and to focus on one of the most pleasant pursuits of his, namely Kagome.

He watched as she finished her last lap and then fell over to hug her knees while she panted. He stared at her athletic backside when he noticed another boy jogging up to her with a water bottle. The boy was trying to be helpful and she probably needed the water after her long jog. So why was he still there talking with Kagome? Inuyasha only waited a second or two more before he found his own legs moving of their own volition toward Kagome.

He made it to her side in almost record time as he leaped over a few bleachers and then jogged over to where she was standing.

The boy with the water bottle had been speaking to her. "What about seeing a movie tonight Higurashi?"

Inuyasha only growled as he walked on up to the pair.

"Well, Hojo I think…"

Inuyasha quickly cut in, "She's going out with me tonight," he said as brazenly as possible as he moved to her side.

The boy simply looked at him unfazed. "She can speak for herself. Kagome?"

He only growled again as Kagome started to speak. "Oh, thank you so much for asking. But I am already going out tonight with Sango, Miroku and Ash here."

"She is?" thought Inuyasha in befuddlement as it dawned on him that he was suddenly going to be included on a double date. Inuyasha just preened like a peacock as he looked at her and then frowned at Hojo.

"Maybe some other time Higurashi?" Hojo asked meekly.

Kagome only smiled at him warmly as Inuyasha growled again and added, "Maybe, Hojo. But remember that my schedule is very busy with this team and choir."

Hojo nodded before walking away from the field.

Kagome looked up at Ash shyly. "I was just talking to Sango as we were jogging, Ash. She thought it would be a great idea to double-date. Are you game?"

He just smiled down at her again and put an arm around her waist. "If you are there--I am game," he added with a smirk.

She smiled back at him. "Good. Just wait for me here. I need to take a shower and change. Oh and what was with the growling Ash? You sounded just like a dog," she said while giving him a puzzled smile. Then she turned away and walked toward the locker rooms as Inuyasha looked around him befuddled.

"I was growling?" he asked himself as he turned to look at her backside before she disappeared behind the locker room wall.

* * *

Miroku showed up at the bleachers to chat with Ash while they waited for Sango and Kagome to show up. In the classic fashion of men it had taken him only 15 minutes to shower and to put on clothes for this evenings 'date'. Unlike the girls he didn't engage in preening, girl-talk, hair drying, or makeup.

They settled on the bleachers in silent camaraderie for a few moments before Miroku started a conversation.

"Kagome really seems to like you Ash," he said with a slight grin on his face.

Inuyasha tried to sound as non-chalant as possible, "Oh…"

"Yeah, do you know how many guys have been after her for this past year? Ever since she joined this team she's been a celebrity and she's been getting a lot of attention." Miroku stretched. Inuyasha felt like growling again, but this time he managed to keep from uttering anything. Miroku paused before he continued, "But she wasn't interested in anyone. She only had her sights set on one guy."

"Yeah, she told me…," Inuyasha said dryly as he thought about the crush she had told him about.

"She did? Oh, well. We told her a long time ago that it was hopeless."

"Why's that?" asked Inuyasha. He was curious, but tried to steady his voice in a way that seemed to show that he really didn't care.

"Well, crushes are simply crushes," he said while he shrugged his shoulders. "She had never even met the guy. And when they finally met she was so upset. He yelled at her and called her every name in the book. I didn't have the heart to ask her what exactly she was expecting. When you put someone on a pedestal, they can only be taken down." Miroku then whispered conspiratorially, "Besides I heard he was a stuck-up jerk."

Inuyasha blanched and was about to reply with some cussing, when Miroku interrupted him. Miroku slapped him on the back. "That's why I'm glad that she found you. I didn't think she'd ever get out of her funk."

"Funk?"

"Yeah. Right after our exhibition game--after Inuyasha cussed her out. She was crying for a good hour non-stop. Sango and I were trying to cheer her up when we ran into you at the karaoke bar. I was amazed that she took to you so quickly after what happened. So Ash," Miroku as pausing as if to ask a question.

"Oi," answered Inuyasha irritably.

"How's Kagome in bed?"

"Why you perverted…," Inuyasha was about to yell out a few choice cuss words but he was quickly interrupted by Kagome and Sango who had arrived at the bleachers next to them.

Miroku quickly changed gears and had a beaming smile for Sango as she approached.

"Sango, my dear. You look lovely tonight," he said seductively as he held her hand and kissed it.

Sango was wearing low-rise black leather pants, a pink top that exposed her midriff and had cinnamon colored eye shadow above her eyes.

Inuyasha turned to look at Kagome. She was wearing a black leather mini-skirt, an airy white cotton blouse and there were hits of powder blue eye shadow above her eyes. Her long raven locks fell over her shoulders and framed her lovely face. He paused for a second, smiled at her warmly—not knowing what to say as he looked at her. She smiled at him shyly and then reached forward to take his hand in hers.

"So where are we going," asked Inuyasha as he looked into Kagome's eyes.

"Oh, I thought Miroku was going to tell you. What were you two talking about?" asked Kagome.

Miroku only cleared his throat. "I was just about to get to that. We're headed to the Greek Theatre at the Griffith Park. Do you know where it is Ash?" Inuyasha nodded. "Good," said Miroku. "My motorcycle is over here. Can you drive Kagome?"

Inuyasha could only smirk as he thought about Kagome in her miniskirt riding on his motorcycle. "Oh, this is going to be lovely," he thought.

Soon they had made it to his red and chrome Kawasaki Ninja cycle. "This is my baby," Inuyasha said to her as if he was introducing a family member to her.

"I'll keep that in mind," said Kagome as she looked at the bike. Inuyasha got on the bike first and then steadied it with both of his feet firmly planted in the ground. "Ummm, how do I ride the bike?" she asked.

Inuyasha couldn't help smirking. "Well, I guess you'll have to hike up your miniskirt if you want to ride behind me."

"Hike up my skirt, but that'll show…," said Kagome as her eyes widened.

Inuyasha turned to look at her with an eyebrow arched. "Show?" he asked.

"Nevermind," said Kagome as she started to hitch her already small skirt even farther up her thighs until he could almost see the satiny black panties that she was wearing. She then swung a long leg over the bike and scooted up behind him.

Inuyasha couldn't help but to grin and look at her as she tried to hide her bare thighs behind him. "You don't need to hide or cover up Kagome," he said while smirking and then he handed her his bike helmet.

"Don't you need one?" she asked.

"I only have one," he told her. "Next time I will make sure that I have a spare with me. You take it. I'm told that I have a thick skull. I should be fine."

"But," said Kagome.

"No buts. Put on the helmet," said Inuyasha as he revved the engine. Once he was sure that Kagome had the helmet fastened on correctly he quickly maneuvered out of the parking lot and onto the LA freeways. He whizzed in and out of traffic as he headed north on Highway 5 until he connected to Los Feliz Blvd. Then he started to make his way up the mountainous scrub brushed hills on the outskirts of Los Angeles.

Inuyasha loved the feel of wind against his face as he drove his motorcycle. Somehow the freedom of driving such a small and fast vehicle was even sweeter with Kagome's arms around his waist. He also grinned about how she was riding his cycle. Mini-skirts and motorcycles rarely mixed. He still remembered her having to hike up her skirt to the point where he could see black panties in order to sit behind him. It was a lovely memory and he couldn't get the view he had glimpsed out of his mind.

Soon the rush of wind diminished as he slowed his red motorcycle into a parking lot next to the Greek Theatre. Sango and Miroku had been following along close behind them in Miroku's motorcycle and were soon parked as well.

Kagome squeezed his waist one final time before she shimmied off of his bike and tried to smooth her skirt back down.

"You don't have to do that you know," he said while smirking.

Kagome continued pulling her small skirt down and then reached to take off the bike helmet, which was a little too big for her. Inuyasha just stared thoughtfully as she shook her long black locks free. "Don't have to do what Ash?" she asked.

"Pull your skirt down. The view with it hiked up is even better!" he added.

Kagome made a move to hit him, but he blocked her hand with two of his own. His smile had nothing but playfulness written on it as he grasped her two hands. "So," he said. "I think I have captured your arms. If you want them back you'll have to pay a toll."

"Toll?" she asked.

"Yes, one kiss," he murmured as he drew her closer to him.

Her two hands were nestled into his chest as her mouth came up to meet his. Pretty pink pouty lips pressed up against his wider masculine lips. He licked her lower lips and tried to push her lips open. She opened her lips as he drew her hands to either sides of his waist and then moved his own hands behind her back. The kiss was long and lingering. It would have gone on for even longer if Inuyasha hadn't picked up on the scrapping of feet so near to them. Inuyasha paused for just a brief second to see Miroku and Sango staring at them. Miroku had a funny smile plastered across his face and Sango's face was smooth. Only her raised eyebrows betrayed any emotion.

"So," said Sango. "We need to get tickets and then we can grab a bite to eat. Tonight is Funk Fest."

"Funk Fest?" asked Inuyasha.

Miroku answered this time. "Yeah, just some of the local L.A. bands are playing. It should be fun."

Soon the group had their tickets, had a brief dinner at the Los Feliz Café and had finally made it to the show. Their tickets were in the back near the benches. But Inuyasha didn't mind. It was a small, cozy open aired amphitheatre and their seating in the back just gave them more room to dance.

By the time the first band had started to play, Kagome had already pulled Inuyasha aside to dance with her on the grassy meadow beside the benches. Their dance had started playful as he swung her around, spinning her left and right before pulling her back in to him. Then the music started to throb and more people started to join in on their escapade. They were soon pressed together as their dancing space became more and more limited. Of course, that meant that Inuyasha would have to slide his body right up next to Kagome in order to continue dancing. And for some reason he found that he didn't mind this at all. It was rather pleasurable to have her petite form nestled up next to his. He looked down at her flushed face as they danced. She was mouthing the words to the song. He grinned. "She just can't stop singing, can she?" he thought. Her lilting soprano voice was soon joined in by his heavier baritone voice. The singing of the band was loud and echoed across the small theatre, but it seemed like it was just the two of them there. Inuyasha cradled Kagome into his arms as they danced and sang under the stars of Los Angeles in the cool autumn night.

Four bands later the concert was done and none of their party was willing to end the night. They soon made it to the Griffith Park observatory. It had once been an astronomical observatory, but the lights from the 'City of Angels' were now too bright. Both the light of the nearby city and the smog obscured any telescope that might have used the high overlook to view the stars. However, no one could argue that this area had one of the best views of downtown L.A.

Los Angeles was and always will be a city of concrete, glass and metal. During the day you could see the gray city was always enveloped by thick grey-brown smog. But at night, when you looked down from the mountaintop that was the Griffith Park observatory, you couldn't see the smog or the concrete maze. Instead all you could see was inky blackness filled with pulsing red and yellow lights. The entire Los Angeles basin looked more like a computer circuit board at night than a city. It was always hard to call Los Angeles beautiful, but at night—that was when she really started to shine.

Kagome and Inuyasha held hands as they walked around the park. The air was dark and cool and only the occasional streetlight lit up the surrounding area. Soon the duo found themselves away from Sango and Miroku as they looked down at the expanse of the glistening city underneath them.

"It's beautiful," Kagome said while looking down at the city.

"Yes," said Inuyasha. But he was only looking at Kagome and not the city below. "You are beautiful."

Kagome looked up at him with a startled expression and a small blush started to color her cheeks. Inuyasha moved in closer to her and gently stroked her cheeks. She swallowed as she peered up to look at him, her eyes glazed and her mouth opened as if to question him. He soon moved his hands down to encircle her waist and pulled her closer. Her eyes closed as his lips met hers. Soon the kiss deepened, but Inuyasha wanted something more. He felt like all of his senses were deadened—as if a layer of fog existed between him and the world. He needed to smell her scent, he needed his senses fully engaged so that he could really taste what she was like. He noticed that her eyes were closed and that no one else was nearby. As his heart pounded he used one of his hands that was around her waist to pull his ring off. The rush that accompanied the loss of the ring was amazing. Her scent was wrapped around him intimately. It was such a wonderful, gentle scent of cherry blossoms and her lips tasted of jasmine.

Inuyasha could only murmur, "Gods," as he deepened the kiss even more. This was tantalizing, this was wonderful, her scent was amazing and it just added another gorgeous layer to her beauty and to his intoxication. He felt his arms squeezing her tighter as they started to wander over her soft form. He wanted to take this much further and he wanted to drown in her scent. He wanted her and he wanted all of her.

Inuyasha almost panicked as he felt her eyelashes starting to flutter against his skin. He quickly fumbled and put his ring back on. Soon the wonderful scent was gone and he felt its loss. Their deepened kiss and his need to absorb her into himself started to fade as the scent went away. But how he wanted to smell her again. Being human and having his senses deadened never felt more limiting and sad to him than it did at this very moment. For the first time he wished that Kagome knew who he really was, so that he could be free to experience her as she should be experienced. With all of his senses fully appreciating every facet of her.

He kissed her again chastely on her lips and then pulled away from her. He smiled down at her, but he felt a sadness linger as he led her back to Sango and Miroku.

* * *

_**A big thanks to my Beta blackdeathmessenger who has been a great help with the fanfict song selections.**_

_**Special Thanks to the Following Reviewers:**_

_Diamond369: Does Inuyasha know what he is doing? No, not particularly. He's flying by the seat of his pants. He's doing what he thinks he should be doing, but the poor man is quite confused right now. Will that ever change? Maybe…_

Lady Kiome: No, Inuyasha is getting closer to the truth, but he is still pretty oblivious as to his own feelings with regards to Kagome. Sorry about the wait and see… I'd be spoiling every chapter that will be coming up if I told you. :-)

_Hedanicree: I'm glad that you are enjoying the story so far. You made my day with your review. I also loved looking over your story favorites and I really enjoyed 'Picture Perfect' so far. Please check out my other two completed stories if you like this one. Oh, I forgot to mention to you—I was an English Lit major in college—so writing is second nature to me. I'm also trying to get some real stuff published—someday…_

_Blackdeathmessenger: Let me know how you think the band parts should be handed out. Right now I have Inuyasha's band set up pretty much like the Beatles. But maybe it should change once Kagome is in the mix. _

_sofiakalaughable: I'm glad that you like the humor. Koga is now my comic relief, since Miroku is more serious in this story than my last. Is Inuyasha certain that Kagome likes him? Well, he believes that she has a crush on Inuyasha. He's not too sure how she feels about Ash—but she did let him kiss her…so that in itself is telling him something. _


	9. Chapter 9: UCLA Team Practice

**UCLA Team Practice**

* * *

Inuyasha and his teammates were wearing their trademark workout clothes for their UCLA team. Everyone was wearing gold lettered UCLA navy T-shirts and navy nylon shorts. Inuyasha was the only team member who wasn't wearing any shoes. They were in the middle of UCLA's 'Drake Track and Field' Stadium. It was slightly larger than USC's workout stadium, but it shared similarities with rows of bleachers and a track field. It had an outer field with a red-brown rim made for track running and an inner grass field made for workouts.

The UCLA 'Demonic Team' was busy working out on the inner grass field. Koga made a swift swipe at Inuyasha who somehow was able to leap backward in order to dodge the blow. Koga kept after Inuyasha with multiple swipes from his claws before Inuyasha rebounded with a 'Keh' and sent a claw swipe across Koga's chest. Koga responded by falling backward and kicking up his legs. Inuyasha was smartly kicked in the face and stumbled backwards. He quickly regained his balance and momentarily thought how much he wished he could use his Tessaiga during workouts. Koga wouldn't be able to last very long if he could bring his sword into the picture.

"Head Butt!" Inuyasha screamed as his head hit Koga's, surprising the wolf demon as they both now had blood on their foreheads.

"Stop!" yelled Myoga as he ran towards his two charges while whistling as loudly as he could. "No blood on the field, you demons! What is it with you macho whippersnappers anyway? Are you trying to prove something?"

Inuyasha murmured a 'Keh' as he wiped the blood away from his forehead and soon his own demonic healing blurred the redness away from his forehead. Within a few minutes only the telltale signs of blood were left.

Koga only laughed at the coach. "Oh, come on Myoga. We were just having fun. Weren't we Inuyasha?" he exclaimed as he elbowed Inuyasha in the ribs, momentarily knocking the wind out of the half-demon.

"Yes," said Inuyasha while he tried to gather his breath. "We were…just…having some…fun…," Inuyasha continued to pant as Koga slapped him on his back with another laugh.

Myoga let out another shrill whistle. "OK, that's enough. Sesshomaru will you please lead the team in a final warm down before we meet in the locker rooms? Today we will have a special presentation by Inuyasha!" Myoga smiled mischievously at his team as Sesshomaru took over the final part of the workout. The dog demon lead the team with some stretches before the sweaty mess of demons walked to their locker rooms.

"So, Inuyasha. What's the special presentation all about?" asked Koga as he took a sip from a water bottle that he then tossed to Inuyasha.

Inuyasha took a quick swig and then poured the bottle over his head to cool off his sweaty skin and to also clean off some of the blood that remained on his forehead. Inuyasha frowned at the question. "You'll just have to wait and hear about it just like everyone else," Inuyasha added cryptically.

"Oh, since when do you keep secrets?" asked Koga as Inuyasha merely shrugged and followed the team down the cool concrete hallways into the locker rooms.

Within the sweaty locker room the all-male demonic team of Sesshomaru, Koga and Inuyasha sat down. They were also followed by some of the lesser demonic teams who were also in the competitions.

Myoga beamed as he called Inuyasha forward. "As some of you may know, Inuyasha here has been given special access to the USC team workouts. I wanted him to brief us weekly on what our competitors have been doing."

Inuyasha stepped forward and Myoga happily slapped him on the back with a warm grin on his face. Inuyasha continued to frown and slouched as he sat in Coach Myoga's usual spot in front of the team.

"Ah, well. I've been watching the USC 'Holy Shikon Team' workout for the past week. There really isn't much to tell. They have a warm-up, then they spar with each other, followed by a stretch down and a one mile jog. That's about it…," Inuyasha's voice trailed off as he tried to not make eye contact with Myoga or Sesshomaru.

"Um, boy, I asked you to watch for Kaede's hand signals. Did you see any?" asked Myoga.

Inuyasha shifted in his seat uncomfortably. "Uh, yeah. I think I saw her make a signal like she was making a 'J'," said Inuyasha as he made a 'J' shape in front of his chest. "It looked like it meant for them to back down when she made that signal."

"Yes, well . Anything else?" asked Myoga hopefully.

Inuyasha tried to rack his brains and he shifted in his seat again. "Hum, I think this signal…," Inuyasha made a jabbing signal as if he was elbowing a hidden person behind him, "means attack the nearest opponent."

"Good, good!" Myoga was grinning.

"Little brother," Sesshomaru interrupted and leaned forward impassively. "You are telling me that you have been spying on the USC team for an entire week and all you can tell us is their workout schedule and two hand signals. What have you been doing while you were there?"

Inuyasha sat straight up and his frown changed to a grimace as he faced his older brother. "That's about all I saw Sesshomaru. I was in the bleachers. I can't see everything from there."

Koga looked at his claws with a smirk on his face. "I think he was distracted by a certain miko," he said. "What does she look like when she's sweating and her t-shirt sticks to her breasts?"

"None of your damn business, Koga!" Inuyasha fumed.

"Oh, so you were distracted, little brother," added Sesshomaru.

Myoga intervened. "We're all very happy that you had this opportunity Inuyasha and your eyewitness accounts, I am sure…," said Myoga as he scanned the crowd and looked pointedly at Koga and Sesshomaru, "will prove invaluable to us." Myoga smiled and then continued as he walked closer to Inuyasha and slapped him on the back. "Now I know it can be hard to pay attention to certain workout details when there are lovely women traipsing about. But I would hope that next week you can come up with some better details for us. You can do that for us. Can't you son?" Myoga asked.

Inuyasha just nodded, trying to keep his emotions from showing as he got up and headed towards the showers. He was lost in thought as he let the warm waters crash over him. Soon he found himself dressing and putting on blue jeans and a black T-shirt. His long silver hair was tied up in a ponytail, but it still dripped against his shirt as he grabbed his gym bag and walked back towards the playing field. He was so lost in his own thoughts that he never even noticed a beautiful black haired demoness who was sauntering up behind him.

"Inuyasha," she called out. "Inuyasha!" she finally yelled before he was out of his trance and he turned to look at the young demoness behind him. She had short black hair that was cut like a china doll. Her face was alabaster white and her eyes were demon red. She wore a short black mini skirt and a black wife beater. She quickly ran up to him once he stopped.

"Where the hell have you been, Inuyasha? You're not at your apartment. You don't return my e-mails or calls. Have you dropped off of the face of the Earth?" the young woman yelled at him.

Inuyasha stared at her blankly. She had been one of the girls he fucked occasionally. When he had started at UCLA not a single demonic woman on campus would give him the time of day, since he was a half-breed. There were the occasional desperate women who tried to use him to get to Sesshomaru, but none had been interested in him. Then he joined the 'UCLA Demonic Team' and followed his older brother's footsteps. He was amazed at how natural it was for him to compete. Myoga had been extremely impressed with his fighting skills and prowess. Soon he became one of UCLA's star athletes. By the middle of his Freshman year the women were starting to notice him, he even had a small 'fangirl' following. Once he had ended his Freshman year he was no longer a virgin, but the women he was with were questionable. He never had sex without a condom. Who knew what they might be carrying. He shivered at the thought and then brought his attention back to the demoness in front of him.

"Sorry, Yura. There's been too much going on lately. I really don't have time for our little get-togethers anymore," he added while he ran his fingers through his hair.

Yura only stared at his long silver hair and smiled as she tried to reach over and stroke his hair. She knew it was something that he loved her to do. "What silliness is that Inuyasha? Don't you want me to brush your hair before we tend to more personal pursuits?" She smiled at him wickedly. "Don't tell me that you don't want these lips to suck on you?" she asked as she brought up one hand to stroke his hair and another hand to cup the crotch of his pants. "My mouth and the rest of my body can give you ample pleasure," she added coyly. Her lips reached up to his and she pressed her warm lips against his.

"She smells of plastic," was all Inuyasha could think. Her tongue tried to gain entrance to his mouth as she languidly licked his lower lip. "And she tastes like plastic," he thought in disgust.

Inuyasha pushed the demon woman backwards. "No, Yura. It's all over."

"What? Is some other woman getting to touch your hair? Who else are you fucking?" she screamed.

"Stop it Yura. Just leave me alone!" was all he could muster as he hefted his gym bag back on his shoulders and walked away from her.

"No one breaks up with me, Inuyasha! You're going to pay for this!" she screamed. "I'm going to find out who the little bitch is and then she'll pay."

Momentarily Inuyasha's eye's shifted from golden to red. Purple marks flared up briefly on his cheeks. Yura was soon shoved up hard against the concrete enclosure that led to the locker rooms. "Don't you ever threaten my bitch," he yelled in her face. His red eyes flickered amber to ruby. His purple marks on his cheeks faded and solidified again and again.

Yura could only swallow and nod as she held her own hands in protest. She gasped as he dropped her on the hard concrete floor. He then turned and walked away from her, his demonic aura flaring in power and his eyes glowing red. It wasn't until he had made his way to his red motorcycle that his eyes faded to amber and what little composure he had left resumed on his features.

* * *

_**Next Chapter**__: My longest chapter to date and it's already written. The Gig. Inuyasha's band plays in a public venue and something unexpected happens…_

_**Special thanks to Blackdeathmessenger for being my beta.**_

* * *

_**Author's Notes:**_

_#1: I find it so funny that most of my ficts are primarily written from Inuyasha's perspective. I'm a girl and I'm certainly not a teenager. I have passed the drinking age long ago. There's just something about Inuyasha's conflicted personality that just makes it so fun to write. He passionate, but he also has so many blind spots. There are aspects about him and other people that he really has no idea that they even exist. It can add up to a lot of dramatic irony._

* * *

_**Special Thanks to the Following Reviewers:**_

_Hedanicree: Thanks for your wonderful review. It made my day again! As far as your questions go, yes, there will be some fallout from what Inuyasha is doing. But I can't tell you what's going to happen without spoiling the story. I can tell you that one of your comments was dead on. You'll just have to wait for the last three chapters to see what I'm talking about. So re-read your own review when the story ends. Thanks for your compliments on my writing. I actually thought my descriptions were my weak point. I always write the dialogue first and then I go back to write the descriptions. I can actually hear the characters talking in my head and all I can do is write down what they're saying. The descriptions are harder to write when I try to translate what I see in my mind into the written word._

_Diamond369: Ha ha! Inuyasha better tell her, huh? All I can tell you is that the guilt of what he is doing is starting to get to him (which I hope you can see in this chapter). I can't tell you how it's going to pan out though. Wait and see…_

_sofiakalaughable__: I'm assuming your question is about the manga? The final chapter of the manga was both wonderful (the artwork was breathtaking in a few scenes) and a little disappointing as well. I don't want to spoil it for any fans, but please do a Google search for 'One Manga' and then read Inuyasha chapter 558. All you need to know is that Naraku was defeated and the jewel was destroyed before this chapter takes place. I'm probably going to write something later on that expands on this final chapter. Damn! I wanted a sex scene! And there is no way that Rumiko Takahashi would ever put that in her manga._

_Blackdeathmessenger: I'm glad that you liked the chapters and thank you for all of your beta work. The next chapter really needed your expertise on bands._


	10. Chapter 10: The Gig

**The Gig**

* * *

_I am posting two chapters in quick succession of each other,  
so you might want to go back and read Chapter 9 if you haven't done so already._

* * *

_A big round of thanks goes to blackdeathmessenger who did a lot of work to get this chapter into shape. He was my Beta, came up with Inuyasha's band name (he was great and gave me nine different band names to choose from), the instruments the band members played and also helped me choose the songs for this chapter! Thanks a bunch!_

* * *

Inuyasha was really beginning to wonder if his headaches were actually perpetual migraines. It just seemed that every time he worked with his band that the headaches would just flare up on their own accord.

"So you're telling me that Ayame won't even show up?" asked Inuyasha in barely contained rage. "After all of your attempts to get her into the band and all of her assurances that she could handle us—she just chickens out at the last minute?"

Ginta could only look at Inuyasha sheepishly. "I just got her phone call. She said that she's scared of you and doesn't think that she has enough talent to pull this off."

"It wasn't about talent," murmured Koga with a sly smile on his face. "It was all about looking good. Hey, let me call her Ginta. Maybe I can get her to show up."

"We don't need her to show up guys!" yelled Inuyasha and then he quickly quieted himself when he realized that his voice carried past the backstage area. "We can do just fine on our own. We were always great. Just the four of us!"

Ginta sighed, "You don't understand Inuyasha. We only got this gig because I promised the owner that we would have a pretty female singer in leather up here on the stage with us. Without a girl we might as well not even bother to play."

Inuyasha kneaded his fist into his forehead in an attempt to draw out the pounding headache. Then he noticed something. A gentle scent drifted over the air and wafted toward him. "Kagome?" he murmured out loud. "Now why would she be here?" Then he remembered that the first time he had been with her was at Santa Monica. This club was near downtown Santa Monica and was well known for venues that were up and coming bands. Perhaps this was a place that she regularly visited?

His eyes lit up and then pulled the stage curtain aside to see Kagome walking around next to Sango with her trademark white leather miniskirt and she was even wearing her silver corset again. He closed up the curtain and turned to his band. "I know a woman out there who is a trained, classical singer. She might just be the stop-gap singer we need until we get someone else. I'll ask her if she can sing with us tonight."

Ginta was ecstatic. "Really? Who is she?"

Inuyasha winced as he said her name, "Kagome Higurashi. The miko from USC."

He was surprised when Koga wore a feral grin on his lips. "Great I'll get her!" Koga said joyfully. Inuyasha had to grab the wolf demon by his collar and pull him back in.

"Not yet. She doesn't know about me. She doesn't know I'm a half demon. When I met her I was human. She thinks my name is Ash."

Koga, Ginta and Hakkaku looked at him in bewilderment. "So you've been seeing Kagome, but she has no idea that you are on her opposing team?" asked Koga.

"Yes," hissed Inuyasha. "And I plan to keep it that way." He reached into his shirt and pulled out a chain necklace that had a men's silver ring attached to it. Inuyasha carefully pulled it off of the chain and then slipped it on his finger.

His band mates gasped as his silver hair morphed into grey and then into jet black. His golden eyes turned hazel and then into violet and his dog-like ears melted down the sides of his face until they became human ears.

"My name is Ash, got it?" Inuyasha demanded. "What's my name, Ginta?"

"Umm…Ash?"

"And my name, Koga, Hakkaku?"

"Ash," said Koga dryly.

"Yeah, Ash," added Hakkaku.

"OK, good. Now play along. I'll go get her. Remember I'm Ash," he added as he walked on behind the curtain to the door that opened up to the bar.

He paused for a brief moment and swallowed. 'Why am I so nervous?' he thought. 'It's just Kagome.' Then he paused long enough to understand why he felt uncomfortable. 'I'm about to lie to her again,' he thought with a note of discomfort. Inuyasha pushed his misgivings into the back of his mind and strode forward with a purpose toward the girl at the bar with the white leather mini-skirt. Her back was facing toward him and she had no idea that he was here. In fact it was Sango that noticed him first.

"Hey, Kagome. Look who's here," Sango called out as Inuyasha walked toward the trio.

Kagome turned around in astonishment and then smiled at him warmly. She had such a brilliant, caring smile that made you feel that no one else in the world existed but you when she smiled at you. He really couldn't help but feel a little giddy as he looked at her. In fact he just looked back at her and found that a silly smile had been plastered across his face as well.

"Ash?" Kagome asked. "What are you doing here?"

Once she started to speak Inuyasha was quickly taken out of his reverie. "Oh, uh, the band. I'm playing in a band tonight."

"Your band? Why didn't you tell me Ash? You know I wanted to hear you play!" she said as she swatted him in jest.

"Oh, band. Um, it's not my band. It's my uh…cousin's band. I'm just helping out tonight. And boy do they need help."

"Help?" asked Kagome.

"Yes, their female singer never showed up. They need another singer. I was hoping that I might be able to convince you to sing with me again tonight…"

"Sing? Tonight? Right now?" asked Kagome with startled surprise.

Inuyasha made eye contact with Kagome gave her his puppy dog eyes.

"Ohhhhh. Don't look at me with those eyes Ash! How can I say no when you look at me like that?" whined Kagome.

Inuyasha grinned with true pleasure. "Great! Let me take you backstage so that you can meet the band! We'll show you the songs you need to sing. Don't worry too much, just pretend you're doing karaoke again," said Inuyasha in excitement as he pulled her backstage. Kagome could do nothing but to wave quickly goodbye to her two teammates as Inuyasha pulled her behind the stage door.

Inuyasha took another deep breath because he knew that Kagome would know exactly who Koga was, there was no disguising him. He only hoped that seeing a full demon from an opposing team wouldn't make her angry and refuse to sing.

"Um, Kagome. This is Ginta, Hakkaku and…"

Koga moved up to Kagome and held her two hands in his own. "Koga. Kagome I have been trying to talk to you for so long. Now we can finally have some time together!" he added like an excited puppy.

"Koga?" Kagome asked in surprise with a look of confused recognition playing across her features. "You're in a band and you know Ash…?"

Inuyasha stepped in and took Kagome's hands away from Koga. "Uh, yeah my cousin, he is…"

Kagome looked up at Ash and surveyed him critically. "You look almost exactly like him. I don't know why I didn't realize it sooner. The same height, almost the same face…You're related to Inuyasha?" she asked in bewilderment.

Inuyasha winced. "Please don't be mad at me Kagome. Please," he asked. "If I told you earlier you would have never spoken to me."

Kagome's mouth opened and closed a few times in surprise. Then she blinked and beamed a smile at Ash. "I guess that's why I was attracted to you," she added with a giggle. "I thought Inuyasha was so cute, I guess I couldn't help but think that you were, too."

Inuyasha then started to turn red as his band mates ribbed him. "Oh, she thinks you're cute," teased Hakkaku.

"It's too bad that she doesn't know what you're really like," added Ginta dryly.

Inuyasha swallowed and tried not to frown at Ginta. "OK. We have a show to put on," he declared as he slapped his hands together. "Let's get this show on the road."

The band started to set up and tuned their instruments. Inuyasha plugged in his futuristically sleek Fender Stratocaster guitar of chrome and black lacquer. Koga was adjusting his redwood toned Washburn Maverick electric guitar by playing a few chords and then tuning the pegs. Ginta was putting on the guitar strap of his Peavy Cirrus Bass guitar that had a red and yellow flame erupting from the body and traveling up the neck. Hakkaku sat himself behind a black and gold drum set and started to practice with a few soft thumps and clangs.

Kagome walked forward, eyeing Inuyasha's shiny black and chrome Fender guitar. "Is that yours?" she asked wonderingly as her hand glided lovingly down the neck of the guitar touching the strings. Inuyasha swallowed as he couldn't help but to imagine her hand running down something far more intimate.

"Uh, no…it's…," Inuyasha managed to say.

Kagome was only looking at the fantastic guitar before she asked in a murmur, "Inuyasha's then…?"

"Uh, yes, it's Inuyasha's guitar," he added as he regained his composure and decided to show Kagome where to stand. He put one hand on the small of her back to lead her to a single microphone near the front of the stage when Kagome became distracted.

By her own volition Kagome walked forward on her own and looked at an abandoned Yamaha synthesizer keyboard on the side of the stage. She strummed her fingers lovingly over the keys just as Inuyasha was trying to lead her back to the microphone she was supposed to be singing at. "Oi, wench," he said to her. "You don't need to play, just sing."

"But I play Ash," she added. "Of course I am used to a grand piano, but I could work with this limited keyboard. Do you have the piano music for your pieces or only the guitar chords?"

Inuyasha walked on up to her and handed her a manila folder with all of the lyrics that they had prepared for Ayame. Every piece had piano music and guitar chords imprinted on them. "I guess you're in luck," he added. "Yes, they are there. But you don't have to play Kagome. You just need to look good and sing."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "I'm a musician, Ash. I'm not going to be a showpiece. I will contribute. Now this will be a little harder than normal, since I haven't been able to practice any of this. But this music is much easier than the stuff I usually play."

Inuyasha was afraid to ask, "What do you usually play?" he murmured.

"I've been working on Handel's 'Messiah' for our choral concert," added Kagome absentmindedly as she looked at the sheet music. "I play classical music. Mozart is my favorite."

"Mozart?" asked Inuyasha as he laughed. "Well, this stuff has much heavier riffs in it, Kagome."

"Mm, humm," she murmured as she looked over the lyrics. "So the areas that are highlighted. Does that mean I am to sing them?"

"Oi," added Inuyasha. "We made sure that we had everything organized for Ayame, since she had no prior experience singing."

"Ayame?" asked Kagome.

"Feh. The girl who ditched out on the band last minute," added Inuyasha. "Though I must say that I'm actually pretty happy that she did. Now that you're here..."

Kagome smiled up at him and beamed with pleasure. "I'm happy to be here, too Ash." She quickly pecked him on his cheek. "So is there anything else that I should know?"

"The songs are organized in order, so just keep your papers in order. We're starting with some covers, the first one will be 'To Be a Lover' and you can see the rest in here. We're singing six songs and then the next band will go onstage."

"OK," said Kagome as she closed her eyes and breathed in. When she opened her eyes she was entirely focused on the task at hand. "I'm ready."

"Great!" added Inuyasha as he took the center of the stage. He made sure that each of his band members was ready and did a brief sound check before he walked up to his mike and started talking to the audience. The people around the bar and dance area seemed bored as they walked around picking up drinks and were still talking in quiet tones.

"Good evening folks, I'm Ash and this is our band, 'Immortal Sin'. We're here to liven up this joint. Kick it Hakkaku!"

Hakkaku started in on his drums leading the entire band with a steady beat in which to play against. Ginta's base guitar strummed steadily against the drums and was quickly joined by Inuyasha's and Koga's electric guitars. Then for the first time in the band's history an electric synthesizer started to play with the guitars. The synth accentuated the guitars, smoothing the hasher rhythms of the guitars without overpowering them.

Inuyasha looked over at Kagome as her fingers ran across the ebony and ivory keys in deliberation. He couldn't help but to notice her hips that were swaying to the music as she played. He stared for a moment at her firm backside that was enclosed in white leather and her long legs that were tapping on the floor with the beat as she played.

Soon the opening verse had been played and now it was time to start singing. Inuyasha sung the opening lyrics in a deep baritone voice that was steady, smooth and masculine.

_Have I told you,… Lately that I love you…  
If I didn't, darlin',… You see, I'm so sorry…  
Didn't I reach out and hold you in these lovin' arms…?  
Well, if I didn't, oh baby... Well, I'm so sorry…_

Then the music moved up a notch and the drum beats came even quicker. Kagome's hands started flying across the keyboard as she prepared to sing her lyrics. She looked ahead in determination as she smiled at the audience. Soon her lovely voice came over the sound system enrapturing the band that had never even heard her sing before. Inuyasha could only smile as his band mates gaped in surprise. Her clear soprano voice echoed across the stage lilting and mesmerizing. Inuyasha started each line, but it was her sweet voice that would layer on top of his to complete each line.

_Got to be a lover... Have mercy…  
Forgot to be a lover, babe… (Have mercy)  
Forgot to be a lover... (Have mercy)  
Forgot to be a lover...  
Make it on through to you somehow... (Have mercy, baby)  
Got to be a lover, babe... (Forgot to be a lover)_

Then Inuyasha couldn't really help it. Kagome was stuck behind her keyboard, but he had a guitar and a mike headpiece so he could be mobile. He slid up behind her and moved his hands up and down the sides of her body as she sang. He enjoyed it and besides an audience would eat up this stuff. Pretending to make love on stage was sure to grab the crowd's attention any day of the week. Then he nipped the side of her neck, causing her to gasp slightly as she was singing. He smirked and then it was time for him to play his guitar again, so he moved on next to her eyeing her as he played.

He started to sing the next lyrics and he sung as if he was desperate. His words escaped his lips as cries of need. His voice was deep, stirring and heady with want. Kagome's voice echoed each of his lines with another sultry layer.

_Ah, but you know I really love you, baby... (Love you baby)  
I really love you baby… (Love you baby)  
I really need you baby… (Need you baby)  
I really want you baby… (Want you baby)_

He looked directly into her eyes as he finished up the lyrics to the song while she echoed each line. Her eyes looked back directly into his and he could see his own face echoed within the brown pools of her eyes. It was a bizarre reflection, he was used to seeing silver hair and white dog-like ears in his reflection. So he was momentarily confused when he saw long black hair and regular human ears peering back at him. He felt like he was the half-demon Inuyasha, but that wasn't what Kagome was seeing. She thought he was someone else and that didn't set too well with him. Her smiling face looked back at him, but he couldn't help but to frown briefly as he continued singing and he moved back to the center of the stage. It felt like he had lost something, as if something deep within him was gone. He felt sad… Yet at the same time he wanted to be near Kagome. He shook off his feelings and then grinned at the audience as he put on his game face.

They finished singing their set by playing covers from 'Alice in Chains', 'the Cult', 'Metallica' and 'Seether'. As each song played Inuyasha couldn't help by to notice how Kagome's singing and keyboarding skills accentuated their music. She made everything sound better and added a note of professionalism to their playing. Her soft, yet strong soprano voice blended so nicely with his baritone voice. It was as if she was the missing puzzle piece that the band had needed to complete itself. By the time they had sung the final lyrics and had finished off their last guitar riff, Inuyasha could only bow and say 'Thank you' to the audience as they exited the stage. The audience had started out their session cold, but by the time they were done they were on their feet, dancing with the band and clapping along as a feeling of electricity had been added to the air. 'We still have what it takes,' Inuyasha mused as disconnected his guitar. He then walked up to Kagome who was arranging her sheet music back into her folder. He couldn't help but to encircle her waist with his arms. As he hugged her from behind, he kissed the side of her neck, right under her ear. "You were wonderful, wench," he said.

"Wench?" she said in disbelief. "I am not a wench, my name is Kagome!"

"Oi, sorry wen…umm…Kagome," added Inuyasha with chagrin as he kept his arm around her waist and lead her off of the stage.

The next band, 'Heaven's Dead', started to set up and tune their instruments as 'Immortal Sin' met up behind the stage. The rollicking laughter was contagious as the band members congratulated themselves.

"You were awesome Kagome!" exclaimed Koga as he tried to take Kagome's hands in his again. "You have to join our band."

"Oh, I…I made lots of mistakes, my keyboarding wasn't perfect," said Kagome as she tried to get a word in edgewise.

"I never noticed," added Ginta. "Please Kagome We need a female band member. And you were great! Your voice! Wow!"

Hakkaku joined in, "Yes, you are a wonderful singer. I can't believe the notes you hit. And you sung so beautifully. You are so much better than Ayame."

"That's not saying much," jested Inuyasha.

"I meant it as a complement," added Hakkaku. "Please Kagome, join our band."

Kagome just smiled at them as her lips curved to a slight frown. "I only helped out for one night because Ash asked me to. I have so much to do. I'm part of the 'Holy Shikon Team' and I'm also part of my college choir. And there's college, too of course. I need time to study, train with my team and practice my music. I'm stretched too thin as it is. I can't add something else to my already hectic schedule. Thank you so much for the offer. But I can't…" Kagome then turned away and started to walk away from the backstage area.

"Kagome, wait!" called out Inuyasha as he ran after her. He soon caught up with her and grabbed her arm. "Hey," he called to her. "They were only complimenting you. Don't take it the wrong way."

"I know it's just…"

"Just what…"

"They were asking me to join a band that Inuyasha is a part of…"

"Yes, so…?" asked Inuyasha in complete befuddlement.

"I really don't think that I could be around him again. I certainly couldn't work with him. Not with what happened last time…"

"That's what's bothering you?" he asked.

Kagome only nodded in agreement.

"Kagome," he said in a whisper as he gathered her up in his arms and drew her next to his chest. "Don't worry about him. He's my cousin, right? He…uh…he's not angry at you or anything. He just yelled at you because he…well, he yells at everybody…"

Kagome giggled in his arms. "Yells at everybody?"

"Constantly," Ash added.

"He's not angry at me?"

"Why would he be angry at someone as pretty as you?" he added affectionately as he kissed her on the top of her head.

"Because I shot him in the heart with an arrow…?" Kagome asked with a childlike voice.

"Oh that…nahhh…," Ash said as he breathed in her hair. It was so soft and smelled so lovely. "Yeah. I know that he was angry at the time. But I talked to him about it, you know after I ran into you at the karaoke bar…"

Kagome pulled out from his embrace to look Ash directly in the eye. "You talked to him about me?"

"Uh…yes," said Ask as he swallowed. He was now lying to her and this was getting harder now that she was looking at him directly. He felt that he couldn't continue with her pretty chocolate eyes peering at him. So he pulled Kagome back in against his chest and started to murmur back into her hair. "Ummm, I told him how you were bruised after your fight. He felt really bad about it."

"Really?" said Kagome perplexed.

"Um, yeah and he said that's he's really sorry that you had such a large bruise on you. And he's sorry for yelling at you, too."

Kagome started to laugh. "You're making that up. I hear he never apologizes to anyone."

Ash snorted and Kagome looked up at him quizzically. "I made him apologize. It wasn't right." This time Inuyasha looked her directly in the eyes. "I'm sorry, Kagome."

Kagome fiddled with his long black hair that had been tied up in a ponytail. She fingered a long strand between her fingers. "It's not your fault. Thanks for standing up for me Ash." She turned and looked him deeply in the eyes. Her face simply beamed with pleasure and happiness. "Tell me Ash, do you want me to sing in the band? I mean I'll be singing with Inuyasha. Not you. And honestly, I'd rather sing with you."

"He's my cousin, right? No. I wouldn't mind. He's a good guy, really," added Ash as he nuzzled against her again.

"OK then," said Kagome.

"OK, what?" asked Inuyasha.

"I'm really busy as you know, but I'll help out. Just as a temporary fix until they find someone else to take my place. Is that OK?"

"Sure," said Ash with a smile as he pulled away from Kagome and brushed her hair away from her eyes. "Now, would you dance with me?"

"Dance?" she asked as Inuyasha pulled her out to the dance floor. The next band, 'Heaven's Dead', had started to play 'She Sells Sanctuary' by the Cult as he pulled her next to him. She smiled as he held her hands in his. They started to sway, their hips close together and softly moving against the steady rhythm that was coursing through the bar. Soon Kagome's legs were intertwined with his, the hard planes of his body pressed against her curvy softness. He looked down at her deep chocolate eyes as he held her hands close to him, against his chest.

_The sparkle in your eyes  
Keeps me alive…  
And the world and the world  
The world turns around  
_

He turned her around gently as he pulled her with his arms. Her smaller petit form rocked gently with his, as his arms encircled her body. Then she brought up her arms above her head as if she were a genie. Inuyasha couldn't help but to bring up his arms on either side of her body as he traced her generous curves up and down.

_Oh the heads that turn  
Make my back burn  
The fire in your eyes keeps me alive  
I'm sure in her you'll find  
The sanctuary…  
_

He moved his face down against her neck and nuzzled her. He breathed in deeply and sighed. She was starting to sweat and it was bringing her scent out clearer and sharper to his deadened senses. He sniffed at her pulse point under her ear in an attempt to discern her scent more clearly. However, the dance floor was starting to get warm with the menagerie of bodies that were pressed up against each other in the small dance space. Salty sweat from multiple bodies filled the air, obscuring the gentle cherry and jasmine scent that was Kagome. Inuyasha could only growl as the stench drowned out her scent.

"Come on," he murmured as he started to pull her outside of the bar. "It's too hot. I need to get outside."

Kagome let Inuyasha tug her behind him as he pushed against the mass of moving bodies until he opened the front door. Once they were outside they soon reached the end of the pier and Inuyasha was tugging her onto the sandy beach.

"Oh," she said as the cool sea breeze gently whipped around them, tossing her long wavy black hair like the rippling ocean waves around her head. "It's chilly out here." Kagome's sweaty form quickly cooled as the sea winds enveloped them. She quickly wrapped her arms around herself to help ward off the nighttime chill.

"Here," Inuyasha said as he took off a sweatshirt that he had tied around his waist and unceremoniously pulled it over her head. Kagome murmured a brief, "Umph," before stretching her arms through a sweatshirt that was obviously too large for her. Soon she started to giggle as she looked back at the human Inuyasha and quickly kissed him on the cheek. "You are such a gentleman and I am so sweaty. I'm sorry that I'll be ruining your sweatshirt."

Inuyasha started to laugh. "Ruining my sweatshirt. Never. I love the way you smell, your sweat smells good, too."

"Really?" asked Kagome with a grin on her face as she turned towards Inuyasha and put her hands on each side of his waist. "You really like the way I smell?"

"Muuummm hunh," added Inuyasha in agreement as he nuzzled the side of her neck breathing in as much of her scent as he could in his human form. His senses were deadened right now, but she had been sweating heavily just a few minutes ago. Her scent was stronger than normal, so he was almost able to pick up on her wonderful scent again. He breathed in deeply and sighed wistfully.

Kagome cocked her neck to the side and pulled back from him slightly. "First, you started growling a few days ago. Then I find out you are related to Inuyasha and then you like my scent."

"What's wrong with that?" asked Inuyasha petulantly.

Kagome glanced up at Inuyasha again and studied his face and seemed to be looking at his ears as well. She looked like she was judging him or searching for something. She took one hand and tapped against his chest. "You know, that since I am on the 'Holy Shikon Team' that learning about demons and their characteristics is simply part of my training."

Inuyasha looked down at her confused. "Studying demons? But what does that have to do with me?" He was starting to feel nervous. 'Did she figure it out?' He stiffened slightly at the thought.

"Yes," she said as she tapped against his chest again. "The two demonic types Coach Kaede has been having us mercilessly study have been dog and wolf demons. Since they are our opponents we have been trained on all of their strengths and weaknesses. I have also done some extra studying on my own. I've learned a lot about dog demons over the past year."

Inuyasha blanched. 'Is she going to purify me?' he thought as his eyes widened while looking at Kagome. She didn't seem angry though and she still had one hand around his waist. 'I'm just where she wants me to be if she wants to purify me,' he thought. He suddenly realized how dangerous of a situation he was in with her beside him. There were very few things that could take down a dog demon. Other than a shot to the head with a gun, the only other thing that could truly destroy him was a purifying miko. He swallowed nervously.

"Uh, yes," he added not really knowing what to say.

"So I learned that dog demons sometimes show doglike behavior, such as," Kagome paused and looked up at him with mischievous eyes. "They can even growl and bark like a dog. They can be very loyal, but are also very harsh when provoked. And they have an acute sense of smell. In fact it is so acute that how a person smells is almost as important to them as how they look."

Inuyasha swallowed again, his Adam's apple bobbing precariously on his throat.

"So how much dog demon do you have in you, Ash?"

"Dog demon? In me?" quaked Inuyasha as he barely managed to respond to her.

Kagome smiled back at him, "Mummm hummm," she murmured. "I know there's some dog demon in you. You act too much like one and you said you were related to Inuyasha. So how much dog demon is there in you. One quarter? One eighth?" she asked while peering up at him with dark lashes.

Inuyasha visibly shifted his stance and let his shoulders drop. They had been stiff with worry moments before. 'She just thinks I am part demon since I am related to Inuyasha,' he thought. 'She still doesn't know who I really am.' Part of him was relived that she hadn't found out his secret, the other part of him felt guilty for continuing to keep the truth from her. While he tried to get a lock on his feelings she cocked her head to the side again as if she was considering something.

"I think it's time that we found out how much dog demon you have in you," she said with a sly smile.

"Oi, how do you do that?" Inuyasha asked.

Kagome only smiled as she turned her long neck to the side and stretched out her neck. Then she lowered her gaze to look at the ground to her side.

'She's barring her neck to me!' he thought excitedly. He really couldn't control his movements then. Her long swanlike neck just called to him. He couldn't help but to nuzzle her neck at the juncture of her neck and shoulder. He gently traced his teeth against her cool skin as she gasped in surprise. He breathed in her scent again. This time he didn't stop. His lips licked her neck and shoulder. He tasted her scent and breathed in as deeply as he could. Her sweaty form had a saltiness to it as he kissed and licked at her neck. Her scent mesmerized him as he started to suck at the juncture at her collarbone. He gave her a small hickey before he continued to lick, kiss and suckle her graceful throat. "Kagome," he said breathlessly as he called out her name into her neck.

"Ash?" she asked as her hands found their way into his hair and started to finger the strands.

"Ummmm, my bitch," was all that he replied. Inuyasha was too busy drinking in her scent and tasting her sweetness to really notice anything around him. She smelled of cherry blossoms and jasmine, with a touch of saltiness from her sweat. His inner dog demon was very content that his bitch had just barred his throat to him in submission. He was just trying to show her how pleased he was by her response as he continued to nip and lap at her neck. 'Wait,' he thought, 'My bitch?'

With some trepidation he pulled back from her. "Uh, I'm sorry Kagome, I didn't mean…I…"

Kagome just smiled and brought her lips up to meet his. To his surprise she deftly kissed him and pulled him in closer for a deeper kiss. Her hands fisted into his hair and his hands smoothed their way around her back as they kissed. Then she pulled away and looked back up at him with veiled, half-lidded eyes. "Um, I know…bitch is actually a term of endearment for dog demons, right?" she asked.

Inuyasha could only nod wordlessly in agreement.

Kagome giggled at him again. "I guess I have a thing for dog demons," she said while chuckling. "I can't seem to get away from them."

"Hey!" said Inuyasha now that he felt that he had been insulted.

Kagome put one finger on his lips to shush him. "Just kiss me Ash," she said as she moved her finger away from his lips and moved her lips closer to his. Inuyasha's stomach did some funny little turns as her warm salty lips met his. He tasted jasmine again as he deepened the kiss, pressing his body against her all the while. His face seemed to be flush as his arms made their way up and down her back before fisting into her hair.

"Damn, woman," was all he could murmur as the salty sea breeze drifted against them in the cool night air.

* * *

_**Next Chapter:**__ In the Bedroom. There will be some citrus and the rating for this story will be changing to 'M' for Mature Audiences only. So please don't continue reading if you are underage. Also, be sure to read and review! It makes me happy. Really!_

* * *

_**Author's Notes:**_

_#1: The music used in the chapter was 'To Be A Lover' by Billy Idol and 'She Sells Sanctuary' by the Cult (watch them on uTube or download them with iTunes). You might have some fun if you play the songs while you are reading the sections where they are mentioned._

_#2: Does anyone have any duet ideas for me? I still need a few more 'rockish' duets._

_#3: I spent some of my hours (while I was in college many years ago) in Los Angeles following around a USC rock band as they played their gigs. I will never forget running around the Sunset Strip at night, helping the band to set up their equipment. There is something electric about being with a band in the 'City of Angels'._

_#4: If there are music majors out there could you send me a PM and answer these questions? What is currently covered in music classes? What are the basic courses everyone must take, what does a music theory course cover, etc? I just wanted to have some details so that when Inuyasha and Kagome are working on their homework, papers or performances that I have some concrete details to include. Can anyone send me a PM and give me an overview?_

* * *

_**Special Thanks to the Following Reviewers:**_

_Helena Mariel__: Ah, well not every chapter can have Inuyasha/Kagome fluff in it. The last chapter had to be written mainly to show Inuyasha's background and why he is the way he is (i.e why was he such a jerk at the beginning). After the last chapter I hope that you can start to see why he had developed a really thick skin and why he didn't have a lot of empathy for people around him. I was also hoping to show that he was starting to feel a little guilty about his 'spying' mission. I hope that there was enough fluff in this chapter to make you happy.  
_

_Diamond369: Yeah, I think so too... Hee hee. I think Inuyasha finally started to realize it around this chapter though. Remember that he can be quite dense sometimes...  
_

* * *


	11. Chapter 11: In the Bedroom

**Chapter 11: In the Bedroom**

* * *

_**The rating for this story has now changed to 'M' for Mature Content.  
Citrus alert for this chapter. Do not read if you are underage.**_

* * *

_**A big round of thanks goes to my betas blackdeathmessenger and Theleb Karna. Both of them asked for a more extensive chapter than what I had originally wrote. I hope you enjoy it!**_

* * *

Kagome's lithe nude body was underneath his. Her long ebony locks were spread out around her head and spilled onto the white sheets. She looked at him dreamily and his long black hair cascaded down his shoulders, drifting onto her body and her breasts. His fingers played against her lips tracing an 'O' shape before she opened her mouth to let him kiss her deeply. Then his lips moved further down to capture one breast and then another in his mouth. As he suckled on her he leaned on one shoulder and brought another hand to the junction of her legs. Her face blushed and she gasped as he touched her. His fingers brushed up against her core and felt warm wetness. He stroked her briefly to make sure that she was ready before he moved his hardness to the tip of her entrance. She gave him a look of complete trust and love as he maneuvered to push himself into her.

For some reason he wasn't wearing a condom and he loved the way she felt against him. The intimate joining of his flesh with her wet, warm velvety insides was almost as addicting as her scent. Her body arched and her face contorted in pleasure as he moved in and out of her. It was almost perfect. He frowned. He couldn't smell her scent. He wanted to smell her while he made love to her. Without her scent it was like looking at a colorful artistic masterpiece in black and white. There was simply too much missing that kept you from fully enjoying the beauty before you.

He smiled as he pulled out of her briefly and then pulled her body up by putting an arm under her back to turn her over. He wanted to enter her from behind. The dog in him wanted it and perhaps the position could help him fulfill his desires. He placed her on all fours before him and ran kisses down her back. Then when he was sure that she wasn't going to look back at him, he took his ring off and electricity jolted through him. He felt his heart beat faster and he couldn't help but to breathe her in deeply. He loved the scents of cherry blossoms and jasmine that permeated the air and the added layer of a musky scent that let him know she was aroused. Her lovely scent was all around him and her juices were in full bloom on his own skin.

He neared her entrance from behind and with a cry of pleasure plunged in deeply. Electricity filled the air and he felt intoxicated. No drug and no amount of alcohol could measure to the immense feeling of pure bliss that enveloped him. Somehow her scent was what drove him on as it wrapped around him, coaxing him, chiding him, playing with him and bringing him to the brink. He moved to lean on her back so that his knuckles could rub her nub while he stroked her from behind. "Come for me," he murmured as he did his best to keep his clawed fingers from prickling her skin. His silver hair tumbled down her back and curtained her sides. His tongue found the dip between the dimples of her ass and her spine. He slowly licked up her spine as he throbbed within her. Her enticing scent clung even deeper to her sweat and he couldn't help but to draw it into himself. He moaned as he lipped and lapped her salty essence that clung to her body. "Ka-go-me…," he stuttered in abandon as his lips kissed her spine and he plunged in and out of her.

She gasped in pleasure, "Ash!" she screamed. Her words echoed against his mind and he couldn't help but to think how wrong her words were and what she should have been saying instead. He felt like a jilted lover who had been wrongly accused in the heat of passion. Somehow he felt the need to slam forcefully into her again and again to make up for her lapse in memory for the wrong name that she had cried in pleasure. She couldn't have known that the name she had cried in ecstasy was a wrong as his deception.

Soon he couldn't stop the steady buildup of energy that was expanding inside of him and was dying for release. Her warm scent called out to him too deeply for him to hold off any longer. He rammed himself into her a few more times, his balls slapping against her warm and firm ass. As he came, he howled in a cry that seemed to emanate from his very soul—as if his very being had been ripped from him, torn in two, then healed and placed perfectly back in place. He felt so broken, yet so whole as waves of pleasure engulfed him and his paralyzed body refused to respond to the sudden overload of his senses. "God! Kagome!" he gasped.

As his body spasmed with the aftereffects of his orgasm he noticed Kagome turning to look at his silver hair that was draped over her sides. "Ash?" she questioned. He tried to move, but he felt paralyzed as his spent body froze. He could only watch in horror as he saw her slowly turn around to look at him. Her face that had once held pleasure and trust, now contorted into confusion and horror. Suddenly his own heart lurched deeply within him and twisted in pain.

She pulled her body away from him and covered her breasts as she twisted to look at him. "What?" she stammered. "Who? Oh God!" She stared at him in absolute misery and hurt. "You're…"

He picked up on the scent of her fear and could even hear her heart that spasmed within her chest. His own heart mimicked hers as it started to beat wildly in fear--thumping deep in his breast. He tried to grab his ring off the bedsheets and put it back on again to let her know it was really him and that it had always been him. "I'm Ash. I'm Inuyasha. Please Kagome, don't be angry…"

"Angry? Angry?" she yelled as she jerked her clothes back on. "Was this all some sort of game to you?!"

He tried to explain as he stuttered assurances and pleaded with her. But the look of horror and betrayal on her face remained. Her pain became his as he reached for her. He only needed to hold her and to touch her. He needed to calm her and to keep her. But she shrank from his touch and hot, salty tears cascaded down both sides of her cheeks—burning red rivulets in their wake. She ran away from him in terror and bounded out his bedroom.

"No, Kagome," he moaned as she disappeared from his field of vision. "Kagome!"

A large pillow hit him in the face and he turned around startled. "Shut Up!" yelled Koga. "I'm trying to sleep! Jack off in the bathroom!"

Inuyasha removed Koga's pillow from his face as he stared at the ceiling. He was laying in his bed in his room--his heart thundering loudly. His hand was gripping his cock and warm cum was all over his hands, his lower body and his twisted sheets. "I was dreaming?" he murmured. His heart was still pounding and his body was drenched in sweat.

"Yeah, a wet dream. Now shut up!" yelled Koga as he pulled a pillow over his head and turned to sleep on his stomach.

"It wasn't real, it wasn't real," he kept on saying again and again to himself. His heartbeat stopped its' wild thumping and with heaving breaths his heart started to beat again normally. 'Then why can I still smell her?' he thought. Her scent was still in his room. He breathed in deeply again, jasmine and cherry blossoms assaulted his senses. 'But where is she?' He turned to look at his pillow and his sweatshirt that he had placed on top of it while he slept.

'What an idiot I am,' he thought as he picked up the sweatshirt that Kagome had worn last night. Her sweat and scent was all over the jersey fabric. The last time he had slept with a scented object was after his mother had died. He had raided her bedroom searching for anything that had her scent on it. He slept with her old jackets and scarves for well over a year before her scent had completely faded from anything he could find. Somehow her scent made his separation from her less painful. He hadn't slept with a scented object for comfort since he was a child. Why had he felt the need to sleep with something that had Kagome's scent on it?

He brought the sweatshirt Kagome had worn up to his nose and breathed in deeply. Her scent enticed him and his mind drifted off to his dream of her. Her intoxicating scent enveloping him, entering her from behind, letting himself slap against her ass and letting loose in pleasure as her insides caressed him intimately. It was so real, but he came to the painful realization that it was something he couldn't do with Kagome. He couldn't take her to bed until she knew who he really was.

A few weeks ago he wouldn't have hesitated to get her into bed, in whatever guise he had available. He had told himself he just wanted a quick fuck—that he wanted to humiliate her and that he was going to grab her panties as a prize. Women had never been anything other than a quick romp to him. He had been so angry over how women had ignored him for being a half-demon, but then threw themselves at him once he became a celebrated college sports player. He had always felt that they deserved the callous behavior he showed them in the bedroom. He would often fuck them and forget them. But when he thought about treating Kagome like he had treated the other women he had taken to bed, all of the sudden the thought just sickened him.

His hands fisted in his sheets as he stared at the dark ceiling of his room. He really wanted her, all of her. He certainly didn't know for how much longer he could keep his hands away from her. Her scent was just too perfect for him to keep away too long—her body too luscious to not be touched. Yes, he wanted to make love to her in wild abandon. But for the first time he felt a need to keep her, to cradle her within his arms, to protect her from whatever forces were out there that might harm her.

But how could he do this? She didn't even know who he really was. Plans made their way through his fevered brain as he continued to stare blankly at the ceiling. Maybe Ash could go away on an internship? Maybe far away overseas? Maybe he could then be himself around Kagome and offer her his solace as Ash was gone? He groaned briefly. Myoga wouldn't hear of it. He was now trapped in his role of spying on Kagome every week during her practice. There was no way that Ash could leave her life until the end of the sports season. Until then perhaps he could weave his way into her life as Inuyasha? She did have a crush on him didn't she? It couldn't be too hard to get her to fall for him, right? All of the other girls swooned over him if he showed them the slightest hint of attention. For once things seemed right again in his world. All he needed to do is turn on the charm and she would be putty in his hands as Inuyasha. She'd never know what hit her? Right?

He groaned as he got out of bed to get a towel to clean up the wet, sticky mess that was all over him. "Kagome…," he muttered again as he walked to the bathroom.

* * *

_**Author's Notes:**  
#1: My laptop of four years just bit the dust. I guess it's not a smart idea to have your laptop running while you run up the stairs and drop it. My poor iBook! Luckily I had a backup copy of this story or it would have taken a lot longer for this chapter to be out. The next few chapters might take a little longer than normal until I get another laptop or get my old one repaired. Sob sob!  
#2: This is primarily Inuyasha's story and I hope that you might finally be getting the feel for the way his character is starting to change as my story progresses. And for those of you who are manga readers--the Inuyasha at the end of the manga is a far cry from the Inuyasha in the very first chapter. I'm trying to put a little of that character development into my story._

* * *

_**Next Chapter:** Kagome sees Inuyasha for the first time since the competition (or so she thinks)… Please read and review…_


	12. Chapter 12: Sunset Shrine

_**Chapter 12: Sunset Shrine**_

Inuyasha felt like he was flying. His motorcycle engine roared and his long black ponytail waved wildly behind him in the wind. He was darting around cars on the Pasadena Freeway he could feel the wind rush on by as he swerved around another car. Then he leaned over to his right in order to steer his bike onto the turn lane that took him off the freeway.

He was picking up Kagome as 'Ash' today and he felt euphoric. His plans were finally coming together. Being with Kagome while he was 'Ash' was a dead end. She needed to finally get to know him as 'Inuyasha', as he really was, and today was the day. As far as she knew this would be the first time that she had seen him since their disastrous tournament match. He grimaced inwardly to himself as he remembered the arrow that had sealed him into a deep sleep and the way he had cussed her into tears afterwards. He steeled his resolve--he was going to change things starting today. Sure, he was picking her up as 'Ash', but she would be at his band practice with him as he truly was, as 'Inuyasha'. His mind raced through all of the varied possibilities that coursed through his brain. She would certainly accept a date with him--after all she had a crush on 'Inuyasha'. She couldn't help but to love him, right? He smirked. If she acted around him the way all of the other girls did, Kagome would be his. Maybe then 'Ash' could fade into the background while he made his moves. Yes, today was going to be a beautiful day.

He looked overhead to gaze at the grey-blue and wisps of clouds in the October skies. As he drove all he could see were blocks and blocks of concrete by the side of the road. Most of the buildings were one-story grey or beige warehouses that were plastered with graffiti. Soon the buildings started to look less run-down. He noticed a few signs written in Japanese, wide spaces with perfectly manicured parks, and blue-tile-roof buildings. He had arrived in 'Little Tokyo', downtown Los Angeles' vibrant Japan town. He paused at a stoplight to look again at the address Kagome had given him over the phone '342 East First Street'. She said that she lived in the middle of Little Tokyo. He was already on First Street and on the 200 block. As he drove much more slowly he started to notice the buildings around him. The perfectly manicured bushes that lined the avenues and the red flags that streamed all over the Little Tokyo Mall. It was familiar. He had been here before, long ago.

He sighed as he became lost in thought. He used to come here with his mother. When he was young his Japanese mother often found solace among other Japanese Americans in Little Tokyo. He remembered their weekly trips to the grocery store at the end of the mall. 'How long ago was it?' he wondered to himself. He must have been six or seven years old at the time. She had died when he was eight, so it had to be before then. 'Mother,' he thought as he imagined her long, black ribbon-like hair that streamed down her back and her lovely violet eyes. Her eyes always shined down at him with love and he never forgot the way she had gazed at him when he was a boy. 'Yash-chan' she had called him. He had felt so happy to be with her, his small hand holding her larger ivory hand. If she wasn't taking him to the Japanese grocery store to get diakon, 'calpis' drinks or his favorite 'pocky' candy—then she was taking him to a Shinto shrine in Little Tokyo. His eyes wandered as he tried to find the old shrine from memory, just as he was still trying to find Kagome's address. '342' he muttered to himself '342. OK. It has to be on the right-hand side, it's coming up.' Soon his bike pulled in next to a shrine at 342 East First Street. The sign on the corner read 'Sunset Shrine'. He kicked down his bike stand and removed his helmet as he surveyed the premises.

His eyes widened as he looked up at the red torii gates that stood at the end of some steep concrete steps. This was the shrine his mother used to take him to when he was a little boy. A bizarre feeling of déjà vu fell over him as he wandered up the steps and under the torii gates. He knew that the purification area was off to his right and he wasn't surprised to see the purification fountain exactly where he last remembered it. A wrought iron dragon stood above the fountain and water cascaded out of its' mouth and fell upon the fountain below. He took up a small bamboo ladle and quickly cleaned his hands and drank a sip of water—just as his mother had instructed him to do long ago.

He turned to look at the shrine itself. There was the tree just as he had remembered. The huge Goshiboku tree towered over the shrine, casting dappled shadows of green and grey among the scattered yellow light. He shaded his eyes with his hand as he looked up at the tree. He smiled as he remembered the little girl who was always here.

His mind slowly drifted back to faded memories that he had half-forgotten. The little girl used to meet him here near the Goshinboku tree. Inuyasha looked up at the branches that gracefully danced in the breeze, the first time he had seen her was in those very branches long ago.

_He remembered a day when his mom was busy on the shrine grounds so he had managed to do what all little boys do—he climbed a tree. But he didn't just climb the tree. He looked to make sure that no one was looking and he made a leap up into the tallest branches of the Goshinboku tree that was in the middle of the shrine grounds. He snickered a little too himself. He was imagining his mother running around frantically trying to find him when she was done with her prayers. That would teach her, he thought idly as he watched her far underneath him walking to the shrine to throw in a few coins and pray._

"_What are you doing up here?" a small voice asked. "How did you jump so high?"_

_He was shocked as he turned around to find a small girl in a tattered shirt and overalls staring at him. She had long wavy black hair that was bound up in a ponytail, curious brown eyes and freckles all over her nose and cheeks. She giggled at him._

"_Keh," he responded with a pout as he folded his arms in front of him and turned his head away from the little girl._

_She evidently wasn't dissuaded because she grabbed the branch he was on and swung her legs up and over it. Soon she had slid over next to him and was peering up at him. He tried to look away from her. But she just kept on staring._

"_Your eyes are so cool," she said while clapping in excitement. "You have pretty gold eyes."_

"_Keh," was all that he responded again._

"_You know that's rude…," she exclaimed._

"_Rude?" he asked while he still kept his face away from her. He was still looking at the shrine his mother was visiting and was keeping an eye out for her._

"_Yes, I asked you a question and you didn't answer. Mom says that is RUDE!" exclaimed the little girl with a pout of her own._

"_What question?" he asked._

"_How did you jump up here? That was so neat!" she exclaimed again._

_Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "It's no big deal, I always do that."_

"_Do what?" she asked._

"_Jump really, really high!" he bragged while motioning with his arms how far up he could jump._

"_That's so cool!" she exclaimed while clapping. "I want to jump just like you."_

"_Well you can't," added the little Inuyasha._

"_Why not?" pouted the little girl in the tattered shirt._

"_Because I'm sp-e-ci-al," added the little boy. "My Mom told me so."_

"_How special?" asked the little girl._

_The boy rolled his eyes again. He put a hand to his baseball cap that was securely fastened on his head. His mom always kept it on him whenever they went outside. She had always told him that no one would be able to understand his 'cute, little ears' or why he didn't look like everyone else. However, he felt like showing his ears to the little girl. Then she would know that he was indeed special. He grabbed the rim of his cap and took off the red and black cap he was wearing._

"_Ohhh," the little girl mouthed in surprise. "Can I touch your ears?"_

_"What? You crazy?" he asked as the girl slid over closer to him and placed one hand and then another on his small white dog-like ears. It was pretty strange at first to have her touching his ears, the very ears his mother had told him to always hide, but soon he relaxed as the little girl continued stroking his ears._

_"Granddaughter!" Both Inuyasha and the little girl jumped when they heard the old man fuming under the Goshinboku tree. "Young lady! You were supposed to be helping me at the shrine today. Are you up there climbing trees again?"_

_The girl smiled sheepishly at Inuyasha and then yelled to her grandfather. "I'm coming gramps!" Then with a giggle and another smile she slowly grappled her way down the tree. He could see why her shirt was so tattered and why her sturdy overalls had patches at the knees. She must have loved to climb trees._

Inuyasha leaned lazily against the tree trunk and then walked away from the tree. It was long ago and he forgot the little girl's name. But he remembered her toothless smile and her funny freckles that were splattered all over her face. He wouldn't mind seeing her again, whoever she was.

He looked around with a grin. 'I wonder if that little girl with freckles is still here,' he thought while scanning the grounds. He did notice the girl's grandpa was still there—even though he looked more tired and worn than he had when he had last seen him over a decade ago. 'Grandpa' was wearing his priestly Shinto robes and was sweeping the grounds with a broom. 'If her grandpa was here, then she might still be here,' he mused. He turned around to see Kagome in her flowing miko robes. He had to try to not blanch as he looked at her. For some reason seeing her dressed in her red and white priestess robes unnerved him. The shrine shop sold folded paper and wooden shingles that people wrote prayers on and then tied to the Goshinboku tree. Kagome was taking the prayers off the tree and putting them in her basket. She was probably going to burn the prayers in a sacred fire and offer the prayers to the Kamis. He stood there motionless for a few moments as he took in the sight of her. She hadn't noticed him yet and he enjoyed looking at her. She wore a half-smile and she was humming to herself as she took a lock of her long dark hair and tucked it behind her ear. He looked at her ear, her long ivory throat, her nimble fingers that were untwisting paper prayers from the tree, her lips that were pursed in concentration and the beautiful way her brow furrowed as she went about her work. Soon her head cocked to the side as if she knew that he was looking at her. She quickly turned to him and a brilliant smile lit her lips.

"Hey Ash!" she exclaimed once she saw him. "I just need to change and I'll be right back out." Then she turned to look at the old priest who was still sweeping the shrine's grounds. "Grandpa! I'm heading off. I need to go to band practice," she called before scooping up her basket of prayers that she handed to her Grandpa before running toward her house.

'Grandpa?' Inuyasha asked to himself. 'That would mean…' Inuyasha's eyes widened as he realized the little tomgirl he had played with as a child was now the beautiful miko, Kagome. The girl on his rival team, the girl who didn't seem to have any prejudices against demons, the girl who had declared a crush on him, the girl who said she liked his ears, the girl he was now trying to woo as Inuyasha…

"Kagome. You were that little girl," he said thoughtfully. Then he grinned again to himself. "After all this time, damn…"

He was suddenly disturbed from his thoughts as a little boy made his way to his side.

"Hey. Are you big-sister's boyfriend?" the young boy asked.

Inuyasha turned to see a boy around ten years of age with short black wavy hair and the same round expressive eyes as his sisters.

"Boyfriend?" he asked.

"Yeah. Are you guys going on a date?" he asked as he eyed Inuyasha suspiciously.

"Um, no. I'm just driving her to band practice."

Souta eyed Inuyasha suspiciously, "Yeah right. Then why do you look so nervous?"

"Keh. I am not nervous," he stated as he folded his arms in front of him.

Souta looked back up Inuyasha. "Tell you what. If you let me ride your bike--I'll tell you some secret stuff about Kagome."

Inuyasha looked down at the small kid who was grinning wildly. "What sort of secrets?"

"I'll tell you whatever you want to know, just ask," said the little boy as his grin became more mischievous.

Inuyasha had to keep from rolling his eyes, but someone his curiosity got the best of him. "Deal. Just a quick ride on my bike. Kagome will be back out soon."

"OK," grinned Souta as he followed Inuyasha down the shrine steps.

Inuyasha stepped onto his motorcycle and kicked up the kickstand. "Come here kid," he said while gesturing to him. "You can sit in front of me."

The boy's eyes widened. "Cool!"

Inuyasha just smiled as he lifted the small boy in front of him. Souta's legs were too short to reach the footrests, but his arms could easily reach the handlebars.

"Here kid, this is how you ride a bike," he said. "Watch my right leg."

The young boy dutifully looked down as Inuyasha kicked down on the starter and the engine sputtered to life.

"Now look at my right hand," Inuyasha instructed. "And put your hands on top of mine."

The young boy's grin widened as he put both small hands on top of Inuyasha's larger hands. "This hand," said Inuyasha as he gripped his right hand on the right handle bar, "controls the engine. Turning it this way, " Inuyasha paused as he showed Souta how to twist the handlebar, "powers up the engine."

Souta grinned as he heard the engine change from a sputter to a roar. "Cool, do it again!" the young boy murmured.

"This time you do it," said Inuyasha with a smile.

The young boy grinned and twisted the black rubber handle to make the engine roar again. "Cool," was all he exclaimed.

"Now," said Inuyasha. "I'm going to let go of the breaks and you're going to SLOWLY increase the power to the engine."

"Kay, great," the kid murmured as he turned the handlebar slowly and the motorbike started to inch forward. Inuyasha's feet were still dangling over each side of the bike in order to keep everything balanced. Then Inuyasha simply grinned and turned the bike to full throttle and the motorbike sped away.

Souta didn't care that neither one of them was wearing a helmet and that they were speeding down a 35 mph zone at 50 mph. "Awesome!" screamed the kid as the wind raced on through their hair and wind whipped against their clothes. "Woo hoo!"

Inuyasha leaned to his right to make a turn. Souta gulped as he noticed the turn brought them mere inches from the fast moving asphalt. Then the bike righted itself to do the exact same maneuver three more times before they were back in front of the shrine.

Souta was breathing heavily and his heart was beating wildly from the sudden adrenaline rush of the bike ride. "That was awesome! What's your name?"

Inuyasha grinned as he kicked the kickstand down and turned the engine off. "Ash. My name is Ash."

"You're so cool. Can you come here again? I want to learn how to ride a motorcycle. That was fun! Do you play video games, too?" The questions poured out of the kid with wild enthusiasm.

"Wait a second kid. I thought we had a deal. Secret stuff remember….?" said Inuyasha as he arched an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah, secret stuff. What do you want to know? Or what do you want? I think I could even swipe some of her panties for you."

"What her panties?! Um…no or maybe yes, but you said secrets…," Inuyasha's face turned from unabashed shame to wonderment to seriousness in less than a second.

"Yeah. Let's see. She talks in her sleep. She loves oden and chocolate. She has a thing for guys with long hair…"

"Go on…," encouraged Inuyasha.

"She used to like this guy named Inuyasha….," Souta's voice trailed off.

If Inuyasha's ears were showing they would have been perking up in attention. "Tell me about Inuyasha…"

"Oh, just some guy she had a crush on. I guess he used to come here years ago when they were kids. She always had a thing for him--even when they were kids. I don't know why though."

Inuyasha frowned. "Continue…"

"Well, Suddenly he stopped coming. Then she saw him again in college." Souta grinned. "She put up a poster of him in her room."

Inuyasha smiled as well, "Really…?"

"Yeah. And she came up with this hair brained scheme to see him again. She even joined the 'Holy Shikon Team' just so that she could meet up with him again. But I guess he didn't remember her or anything. She wouldn't tell me what happened, but she tore down his poster a few weeks ago and she refuses to let anyone at home talk about him."

"Tore down his poster? Why?"

"I don't know," said Souta as he kicked up a pebble on the street. "She was really angry though. Oh! If you don't know already there's one thing I need to tell you about my sister."

"What's that?"

"Don't ever let her get angry at you," spoke Souta with undue seriousness.

"Why's that?"

"There's nothing more scary than my sister when she's angry. Believe me I know," answered Souta with a mischievous grin.

"Ash! Where are you?" Kagome's voice called out.

"We're down here Kagome," answered Inuyasha as he looked up the shrine steps towards the torii gates.

"So kid…," said Inuyasha.

"Souta," said the kid.

"Souta," repeated Inuyasha. "We'll continue this conversation later."

"OK!" grinned Souta as he dashed away as Kagome walked down the shrine stairs.

Ash turned to look at Kagome and for some reason all he could do was stare. She wasn't trying to dress up or look seductive, but he couldn't help but drink in the sight of her. She was wearing incredibly short shorts that were striped in a plaid design of white and green. Her long tan legs flowed so nicely from the shorts and he had to wonder where she was hiding her panties under the small shorts. Then his eyes glanced up at her green spaghetti top and he couldn't help but to notice two black bra straps that were right next to the green spaghetti top strings. Her top curved so nicely to her form and her round breasts were so visibly evident under the green fabric. Then he looked up to see her long ivory neck, pink pouty lips, swirling brown eyes that looked at him curiously and her long black hair that was pulled up in a messy ponytail. He walked up to her in a daze and quickly took a wisp of black hair that was dangling on her shoulder and pushed it back behind her ear.

"Hello?" she said.

"Keh. Hi babe," was all he said as he looked at her with a smile and he picked up her hand to put it in his. "I'm supposed to get you to band practice."

She looked up at him quizzically. "Are you sure about this, Ash? I don't have to go."

He smiled down at her and traced her jaw with his finger. "I want you to. I'll pick you up when you're done. OK?"

She glanced at him with admiration in her eyes or was it something else? Her face softened as she looked up at him and her arms started to touch his chest.

"Ash?" she asked with her eyes half closed.

"Kagome?" he asked as he started to close his own eyes and narrowed the gap between them by kissing her lips and pulling her softness against him. He really didn't mean to kiss her right there. He was going to stop all of his attempts as 'Ash' to win her over. But his resolve just weakened into putty when she looked up at him that way. And her lips were so warm, her body was so soft, and he loved the feel of her skin against his calloused hands as he caressed her bare shoulders. 'Maybe just one more kiss?' he thought.

"Ash?" she murmured. "I packed us a picnic. After band practice do you suppose…?"

"Suppose…?" asked Ash lazily, not really caring what either one of them said as long as he could have her warm body next to his.

"Suppose we could have a picnic after band practice?" asked Kagome as she pulled away from him.

"Yes, a picnic…," he drawled lazily as he trailed after Kagome who was walking towards his bike.

"Great!" she murmured as she grabbed a spare bike helmet that hung to his bike with bungee cords. "It's a date!"

"Date?" asked Inuyasha in a daze. He wasn't supposed to go on a date with Kagome anymore. He was supposed to go on a date with her as 'Inuyasha'. But somehow he couldn't tell her no. "Date…," he murmured as he grabbed his own helmet and then stood on his bike and balanced it with both legs.

Kagome quickly slid in behind him and wrapped both hands around his waist, squeezing him gently in the process. He felt her warmth behind him and felt her breasts press up against him.

'You're going to be the death of me,' he thought to himself distractingly as he pulled away from the curb and drove to the West Hills for band practice.

* * *

_**Next Chapter:**__ 'Desire'. Yes, I finally have Inuyasha and Kagome see each other again in the next chapter. Sorry that it didn't happen in this chapter. I had meant for it to happen, but there was too much going on._

**_Please read and review! It makes me happy!_**

* * *

_**Author's Notes:**_

_#1: 342 East First Street, Los Angeles, CA is actually a Buddhist temple in the middle of 'Little Tokyo', but I changed it to Kagome's family Shinto Shrine for my story._

_#2: 'Little Tokyo' is a fun place to visit. I had my first 'Okonomiyaki' (Japanese pizza/omelet) and I bought many of my first Japanese Anime there. It also has the largest Japanese grocery store I have ever seen outside of Japan. I loved their candy section, yum!_

_#3: 'Diakon' is a Japanese radish used in many dishes, 'Calpis' is a carbonated milk-like drink that many of my Japanese-American friends insist on drinking instead of milk (Yuck!), 'Pocky' is my daughter's favorite Japanese candy._

**Big thanks to Theleb K'aarna and Blackdeathmessenger for being my betas for this chapter.**

* * *

_**Review Responses:**_

_Diamond369: Yeah. The man is dense, but he wouldn't be Inuyasha if he wasn't. Sorry that I had you fooled with Chapter 11. I planned it to read that way. I wanted the reader to feel the angst and to feel the same shock as Inuyasha. Did it work?_

_Blackdeathmessenger: Glad that you noticed your band, Heaven's Dead, is also in my story. They might show up again. GRIN. Thanks for betaing._

_Theleb K'aarna: Glad that you liked the re-write. Thanks for betaing._

_TiffanyM: No problem. The next chapter is halfway written._

_tokio-japan543: I wish that I could tell you how Kagome will react when she finds out the truth--but it'll spoil the story. Let's just say I had the 'moment of truth' scenes mapped out from when I started the story and it will be dramatic. Hee hee…_


	13. Chapter 13: Desire

_**Chapter 13: Desire**_

Inuyasha sighed as he pulled up in front of his father's house in the West Hills. It wasn't a mansion, but it was palatial single-story ranch house. His father had bought the land back in the 1890's and now his real estate investments in California were paying off. His family was more than comfortable. Kagome shrugged out of her helmet. He turned to see her shake her head and he grinned to see her raven-black ponytail flit from side to side.

Suddenly she paused to look at him. "What are you staring at?"

"You," he said matter-of-factly.

Her eyes softened and then it happened again. He really needed to stop doing this--he just couldn't help himself. She leaned forward to take his helmet off and dropped it to the grass beside them. "Ash?" she asked as she leaned forward, putting her small hands against his chest, her lips brushed next to his. He could feel the warmth of her breath cascading against him, the flush of her blush and the softness of her lips. He pressed his thinner masculine lips against her before he couldn't help himself anymore. Soon one of his hands was around her waist and another hand was fisting into her hair. His mouth moved of its own accord, driving himself into her mouth, enveloping as much of her as he could. Suddenly there were no thoughts except of her and his need for her. His gut clenched in a sudden overpowering need. He needed more of her, he needed more than a simple kiss. His determination to not go any further with her as Ash was completely forgotten in the moment.

"I thought you were supposed to drop her off, not make out with her," said a snide voice off to his left.

Inuyasha snarled as Kagome broke off the kiss in surprise.

"Koga!" yelled Inuyasha. "Where the hell do you get off?"

Koga smiled nonchalantly and looked at his claws for a moment. "I smelled you guys. I came to get Kagome. It's time to start our band practice and you're late."

"Oh," mouthed Kagome. "I'm sorry," she said while she tucked a wisp of hair back behind her ear. "I had no idea we were late."

"Yeah, well mutt-face has never been good with time," drawled the wolf demon.

Inuyasha only growled at him as Kagome slid off the back of the bike.

"You're coming aren't you, Ash?" asked Kagome.

Koga only smirked and guffawed. "What's so funny Koga?" asked Kagome askance.

"Nothing," murmured Koga through his fingers which were plastered over his face to hide his reaction. "Yeah, ASH," said Koga slowly. "Why don't you hang out at our band practice and watch Inuyasha and Kagome sing?"

"Shut Up, wolf-shit!" yelled Inuyasha as he reached for his helmet, which had been lying on the grass, and put it back on.

"Ash! You're not leaving me here alone, are you?" asked Kagome.

Inuyasha kicked down the kickstand and powered up his bike. "Call me on my cell when you want me to pick you up. I'll be in the neighborhood. I have to make it to the library to study."

"Yeah study!" laughed Koga. Kagome looked between the furious Ash and the laughing Koga and she knew that she was missing something. Her brows furrowed in confusion.

"Laugh it up fuzz breath," yelled Ash as he sped away. Once he was out of Kagome's line of sight he quickly pulled off his ring in order to overhear their conversation. His ears twitched and pivoted. Soon he had narrowed his hearing to pick up on Kagome's voice.

"What did you say to get him so upset?" she asked.

Inuyasha quickly pulled his bike around the corner and parked it. Then he heard Koga talking and he really didn't like the huskiness in his voice. _"Kagome, I'm so glad that you made it to our band practice. I've been wanting to have some time to talk to you."_ The wolf paused before he added, "_Alone_."

Inuyasha growled as he pulled off his red T-shirt and grabbed another black T-shirt from his backpack. He was putting on the new shirt when he heard Koga continue. _"Ever since the tournament I've been wanting to ask you out for a date. "_

'Oh, no you don't wolf,' thought Inuyasha as he quickly ripped off his shoes and pulled the ponytail holder out of his hair.

He heard Kagome gulp. "Date?" she asked as the words eked out of her.

Inuyasha shoved his shoes and the old T-shirt into his backpack and left them hidden in a bush near his parked motorcycle. He was now barefoot, but he preferred it that way. He crouched on all fours and then leapt into the air.

"Yes, maybe you and me and one of my favorite clubs," said Koga as his hands refused to give up their iron grip on her hands. "I know this great place that …"

Inuyasha had quickly leapt between them. "Knock it off. Wolf-shit," yelled Inuyasha as he pulled Kagome away from Koga.

Kagome stammered in amazement as a silver-haired dog demon held her hands in his and was glaring at Koga. His white dog-ears were stiff on his head and his golden eyes were narrowed in fury.

Suddenly Inuyasha's senses were enraptured with only one scent, Kagome's. His head reeled. He had forgotten how much her loved her scent or how he reacted to it. He breathed deeply and couldn't help but to draw himself even closer to her mesmerizing scent. She did something to him and when he caught her scent, his baser instincts took over. It just seemed to be getting worse every time he was around her in his real form.

"Inuyasha?" she croaked as she looked at the dog demon beside her. "Why are you here? And Koga?" she asked puzzled as she looked back and forth between the two of them.

"Uh?" said Inuyasha as he noticed that he had both of her hands in his. He tried to stop breathing in her scent as he looked away and quickly dropped his hands to his sides. Then he glared at Koga who was sputtering in laughter again. "Cut it out you smelly wolf," yelled Inuyasha.

"Will someone please explain to me what is going on?" asked Kagome as she looked again at Koga's snickers and Inuyasha's malevolent glare.

Inuyasha stopped glaring to look at her in surprise. "Keh," was all he said as he stepped back for a moment to look at her again. Her eyes held only confusion and he could only look at her with some strange mixture of befuddlement and desire.

He took another deep breath, which was supposed to center him, but unfortunately had the opposite effect of bringing more of Kagome's scent into his senses. He felt unbalanced as he peered at her. 'Better get this over with,' he thought. 'She was so angry with me when we were talking at the Pier.' _ Chapter 5._

"Kagome, I…that is…," stammered Inuyasha.

Kagome's long dark lashes blinked to show swirling umber brown eyes.

"I," repeated Inuyasha, "I need to apologize for the last time I saw you."

Kagome was clearly caught off guard.

"Apologize?" she asked as her lips pursed together.

Inuyasha tried not to stare at her lips as he continued. "Yes, after you revived me. I was really confused. In the heat of the moment I took my anger out on you." He looked into her eyes so that she could see his honestly. "I hate losing, you know. Could we?"

"Could we what?" mouthed Kagome in abject surprise.

"Could we start over?" asked Inuyasha.

He didn't know exactly what to expect from this girl who seemed so unpredictable, but he was pleasantly surprised to see a warm brilliant smile beam across her face.

"Yes," said Kagome. "We can start over." She seemed to be trying to put out her hand to shake his, but Inuyasha could only grab her hand, then her waist in order to fling her over his back before he set out to leap into the backyard.

"Great! Now we can start band practice," Inuyasha said as if nothing important has taken place. "Come on wench." He ran quickly and then leaped. With two quick bounds he was in a large backyard. The immense green lawn looked more like a golf course than a backyard. Mature trees were scattered among the trim green grass that cast dappled shade over most of the area. He then dropped her off next to an outdoor wooden gazebo that was setup with band equipment. Ginta and Hakkaku were already tuning their instruments and doing a sound check. Kagome eased away from Inuyasha and looked at him in confusion.

His golden eyes stared briefly at her brown eyes until Koga sauntered back to the band. "So Kagome," said Koga as he put his arms around her waist and the small of her back. Inuyasha started to growl as Kagome looked back at Inuyasha with a startled look. "I think you should stand right here." Koga had placed her at the very front microphone that had a stand with a manila folder. Inuyasha was quickly beside the two and picked up the manila folder.

"I can show her," said Inuyasha with determination.

"I think I can do that just as well and without all of the yelling," said Koga with a smirk.

"Why you!" said Inuyasha as his voice raised.

Kagome sighed and walked past the two arguing demons to settle herself next to a synthesizer that was over on the side. "I want to play this," she stated. "Please hand me the music sheets," she said while reaching out with her hand and not looking up at the two guys who were arguing. Inuyasha flashed his fangs at Koga before handing the folder to Kagome. "Thank you," she said as she looked at the keyboard. "What is the first song we're playing?" she asked as she put her forefinger to her head as if she was developing a headache.

"Everything is in order," said Ginta who was trying to break the sudden tension that had enveloped the area. "We're starting with Steppenwolf's 'Born to Be Wild', then we will be singing…," Ginta started to flip through the papers that were in front of him. "'Desire' by U2, 'Animal' by Def Leppard, 'Broken' by Seether, 'Bring Me to Life' by Evanescence , 'Feels Like Tonight' by Daughtry, 'Heaven Beside You' by Alice in Chains and you can't end a band practice without…"

Hakkaku joined in, "Stairway to Heaven! OK guys," he said with enthusiasm as he picked up his drumsticks and started thumping on his drums. Soon the beat to 'Born to Be Wild' echoed across the backyard. Ginta soon picked up his bass guitar and started to play. Koga shrugged on his guitar and started to follow along. Inuyasha only glared at Koga before he started to play his Fender guitar and was lost in the music. Kagome started to rock her hips in time with the beats before she started to play on the synthesizer. Soon both Kagome and Inuyasha started to sing together. As before her soprano voice and his deep baritone voice blended together smoothly and effortlessly. Kagome seemed somewhat surprised as they started to sing together and continued to peer at Inuyasha with a questioning look on her face.

Soon they had made it through all of the songs at least one time. "OK. Folks. I think we're shaky on 'Desire'. Let's go through that one again," said Ginta as he tightened a few strings on his bass guitar before he nodded to Hakkaku to start up the drum beats.

Inuyasha strummed quickly against his guitar before breathlessly murmuring "_Yeah_" and then the rest of the band joined in. Guitar chords and a smooth synthesizer blended in with the snappy drum beats.

Inuyasha breathed in deeply before he started to sing again. Kagome's enticing scent cut across all of the canine scents that were around him. He breathed in again, only concentrating on her scent and he sang with a huskiness to his voice. Kagome's voice blended with his during the chorus as they both sang, "_Desire_…"

_She's a candle burning in my room  
Yeah I'm like the needle, needle and spoon…  
And the fever when I'm beside her  
(Desire… desire...)_

He looked over at Kagome. Her long tan legs were so smooth and shapely, her breasts bounced invitingly as she swayed and sung, her face was flush and small beads of sweat glimmered upon her skin. Her scent beckoned him as her body rocked with the music and she seemed to be oblivious to anyone around her. Only the music seemed to be calling to her, to him…

_And the fever...getting higher  
(Desire… desire... burning… burning…)_

Their voices intermeshed as they sang, "_Desire...burning…_" He couldn't help but to think of the dream he had had of her last night and how much he wanted her. Images of her body under his roaming hands, the way he imagined it felt to be inside of her and her persistent intoxicating scent that burned him…

_Burning, burning…_

Without any real understanding of why his body was moving, Inuyasha quickly found himself behind Kagome. He had a lovely view of her backside, her floating wavy black hair, the sway of her hips and how round her butt cheeks were in her tiny shorts. In a hypnotic fashion he couldn't help but to watch her body rocking before him. Soon his guitar had dropped to his side, still attached to his body by the guitar strap. He moved his body right behind her. His hands traveled up her sides, starting from below her shorts to travel up to the soft cups of her breasts. He sang the next lyrics over her shoulder and into her mike.

_I'm evil when I'm beside her…  
(Desire… desire... desire... desire...)_

She gasped and turned around to face him. She stopped playing and a deep red blush crept into her face. The rest of the band slowly stopped playing. Only Hakkaku seemed to not notice what was going on as he kept playing a few more beats on his drum set before he noticed no one else was playing.

"Wha…what do you think you're doing!" asked Kagome as she breathed heavily.

"Why, you like it?" asked Inuyasha with a lustful glint in his eyes. He breathed in her scent again and found a spicy musky scent that enraptured him. He could tell that she was starting to become aroused—either that or incredibly angry. At the moment he really didn't care which emotion was causing her scent to spike so beautifully.

"You!" she simmered in anger as he found her finger pointing directly at his chest. He couldn't help but to notice that her anger flushed her entire face and upper body. She was breathing heavily and her chest heaved as she spoke. Inuyasha was quite sure that he should be wary, but she just looked so hot when she was angry. "Where do you get off thinking you can pull that on me?"

It took him a few seconds to process the last thing she had said since he was focusing on her red lips. 'But you were OK with that last time,' he thought. Then he realized that last time he was 'Ash'. Now he was 'Inuyasha' and she certainly wasn't used to him touching her. He tried to regain his composure as his bandmates started snickering. He could tell they were trying _not_ to laugh at his expense.

Ginta wore a smirk on his face as he came to Inuyasha's defense. "Sorry Kagome. It's standard procedure to have male and female band members grope on stage."

"Wha…what?" asked Kagome helplessly. "Grope onstage? With Inuyasha?" she asked as she continued to point her finger at him. "Oh no, I don't think so…"

Ginta put up his hands in a gesture of apology. "Sorry Kagome. It won't happen again." His grin suddenly turned serious as he glared up at Inuyasha as if challenging him to disagree. "Inuyasha won't do it again, right?"

Inuyasha pursed his lips in annoyance before he answered, "Keh".

Kagome gulped and looked up at Inuyasha. "I think I'm done with band practice for the day. I think I need to call Ash to pick me up." She reached behind her to pull a cell phone from her shorts pocket. Inuyasha's eyes widened as he glanced at his cell phone that was still in his jean pocket. 'Not now!' he thought in a panic. His heart started to beat quickly as he raced off after her and caught her at the backyard gate. Kagome was about to press send when he flipped her cell phone down to stop her from calling.

Kagome only looked at him in confusion before her eyes alighted on her cell phone that they were both holding. Inuyasha quickly pulled his hand back. "Um Kagome," asked Inuyasha. "Sorry. You're not mad at me or anything are you?" asked Inuyasha sincerely.

Kagome pursed her lips again, squared her shoulders and looked up at him. "That was completely uncalled for."

Inuyasha tried not to grin. Her anger just made her look sexy. He put both of her hands in his and pulled them closer to his chest. He could see her chest rising and could hear the rapid exhale of air from her lungs.

"I couldn't help it," he said truthfully as he smiled at her with one of his charming smiles that usually had the girls swooning. His white teeth were gleaming and his fangs peeked over his lips. "Kagome?"

"Yes, Inuyasha?" asked Kagome as she gulped again. Inuyasha quickly put up his arm above her shoulder. She was caught between him and the backyard gate.

"I was wondering if you would like to go out sometime? Maybe we could go to a concert or a club?"

"What?" she asked in surprise. Then she seemed to steel her features, which Inuyasha had a bad feeling about. She ducked under his arm and moved away from him. Then cocked her head to the side as she glared at him. "You feel me up and you must know that I am dating your cousin and you have the audacity to ask me out?"

"But, but…," he stammered in surprise as he watched Kagome pull up the gate latch.

"Ugh! Miroku was right! You're so full of yourself! Excuse me while I go to wait for your cousin," said Kagome as she stormed past him striding toward the front of the house.

Inuyasha just stood there for a moment, his mouth agape.

Ginta and Hakkaku's eyes bulged in disbelief. Koga doubled over laughing. "Smooth move," guffawed Koga as he saw Kagome run off.

"Shut up," barked Inuyasha under his breath. Somehow he had the sinking feeling that his plans for a date with Kagome weren't going to happen as smoothly as he had hoped.

* * *

_**Next Chapter:**__ Damn Picnic. (Yes, that's the title right now). I have two versions of it so far--one with a lime and one without a lime. Now I think I'm going to do a third rewrite with some more angst. I don't know which one will be posted. I'll have my betas help me decide._

* * *

_**Author's Notes:**_

_#1: I listened to U2 'Desire' while I wrote this chapter. You might want to listen to it on uTube or download it on iTunes while you read it._

_#2: My poor laptop is un-repairable. Sob sob! I made the sad trip to the computer office today to see its guts strewn across the counter like 'Humpty Dumpty'. I need to get a new laptop now. Sigh_

_#3: Everyone send a big thank you to Theleb K'aarna. He's one of my betas. This chapter went through an extensive rewrite. Originally poor Inuyasha was going to get slapped by Kagome during this chapter. (Try to guess where.) But Theleb K'aarna said that Inuyasha can't be so dense that he wouldn't try to patch things up with Kagome. (Personally I think that actually he is that dense...but I digress…) Theleb K'aarna asked that Inuyasha apologize and make up with Kagome, so that was added in there—and low and behold—Inuyasha didn't get slapped this time around. So instead of some major angst on Inuyasha's part, there's only some minor angst. Everyone happy?_

_#4: Everyone is wondering when Kagome will find out Inuyasha's secret. It will happen eventually, but Inuyasha is going to try to get her to like 'Inuyasha' first. So he's still biding his time._

* * *

**Big thanks to Theleb K'aarna and Blackdeathmessenger for being my betas for this chapter.**

_**Review Responses:**_

_Blackdeathmessenger: Glad that you think Inuyasha's not out of character. I was a little worried that I might have made him too smart (God forbid) or too dumb (the other really bad extreme). Oh well, hopefully I've kept him in character, let me know if I don't… Yeah and he should tell her he's 'Ash' right now shouldn't he? But like I said, he's a little dense sometimes and doesn't always make the best decisions…_

_Sofiakalaughable: OK what does 'WOT' stand for? I hadn't seen that one before… Fess up… :-)_

_Diamond369: I'm glad Chapter 11 worked. I guess I was evil when I planned out that chapter…Hummm…Kagome will find out about Ash's real identity in a dramatic way…I can't tell you when or where or why though… Hee hee…_

_TiffanyM: You'll see another flashback in the next chapter…So I hope you enjoy that one as well._


	14. Chapter 14: Damn Picnic

_**Chapter 14: Damn Picnic**_

* * *

Inuyasha was angry. The wench had the audacity to refuse a date with him and now she was clinging to his back on his motorcycle. He growled in annoyance. 'Of course, she doesn't know that she refused a date with me,' he thought. 'Goddammit!' he thought, 'Why does this have to be so complicated? And why can't the wench just go for the real me? Not my human side?'

Then he sighed. Inuyasha supposed that he really shouldn't be feeling too upset. He did have Kagome's soft body pressed up against his back on his motorcycle. Her face was peering over his shoulder as he drove and she seemed to be elated at the fast speed.

"Woo hoo!" she yelled as they pulled off the freeway. "Oh Kami!" was the next thing she yelled as he leaned to the right maneuvering the bike to hover close to the asphalt underneath. She seemed to gulp and pulled even closer to him. Suddenly her head was nestled behind his back instead of his shoulder.

He couldn't help smirking at her behavior. He drove on down First Street and made his way down to 'Little Tokyo'. Soon they were right in front of the 'Sunset Shrine'. He placed both feet on the ground to steady his bike before he kicked down the kickstand. He took off his helmet and was momentarily lost in thought as he stared up at the red torii gates at the top of the shrine steps.

"Mother," he murmured. Images of her walking him up the step stairs into this shrine meandered across his mind before Kagome snapped him out of it.

"Ash. Come on. I made us a picnic," she said while grabbing his arm and attempting to pull him off the bike.

He followed her blindly up the steps before she winked at him. He could only blink at her flirtatious behavior, "What?"

"I'll get the picnic basket. Why don't you find a spot for us to picnic at on the grounds?" she laughed as she skipped away.

"Uh, a spot. Yes," he murmured with a grimace. He was still angry with her and no damn picnic was going to make him feel any better.

She looked at him quizzically before walking back to her home on the shrine grounds.

He first walked up to the Goshinboku tree and considered eating under its shade. He breathed in again deeply and his mind drifted. Soon he found himself in the past again.

"_Yash?" asked the freckle faced girl in the tree._

"_Yes?" answered the little boy with silver hair and a red baseball cap._

"_Promise me you'll always come visit me," she asked with wide brown eyes._

_He sighed as he looked at her. "Oi," he said as he crossed his arms._

_Then he saw the most brilliant smile cross her face. She held out her hand and wiggled her pinky at him. "Pinky promise?"_

_He cocked his head to the side. "Pinky promise?" he asked as he saw her pinky finger wrap around his in a weak grip. The girl smiled at him again and inched closer to his face before placing a quick kiss on his cheek._

_He pulled his head back. "What was that for?" he asked as he put his hand to his cheek. Why she would even want to do something like that was just too confusing to him._

_She just beamed at him, "I just felt like it," she said while giggling. "Is your mom done yet?" she asked._

"_Keh. Girls," he said as he looked down through the tree branches. His mom quickly came into view. "Yash-chan!?" she called out. Inuyasha smirked as he saw the top of her long black hair and the way she pivoted around with her hand cupped around her mouth. "Bye," he said as he dropped out of the tree._

"_Bye!" the little girl waved as he fell beside his Mom._

"_Yash-chan!" she said in surprise when Inuyasha suddenly dropped in next to her. "You're going to make me die of a heart attack."_

_The little boy looked up at her in fear. "Die? Don't die Mom!"_

"_Oh! My dear one, it's just a figure of speech…," her voice trailed off to see the young boy's confusion and upset. She drew him next to her as tears started to form in his eyes and his jaw started to tremble. "It just means you surprised me. That's all it means."_

_The little boy drew himself closer to his Mom and tried to wrap his little arms around her legs. "Don't ever die Mom."_

"_I'll try Yash-chan. I'll try," was all she murmured as she stroked his hair before she picked him up into her arms and lead him back towards the torii gates._

Inuyasha was leaning against the Goshinboku tree again. "So many memories," he thought as he looked wistfully up at the tree branches.

"Ash, is that where you want to picnic?" Kagome asked.

Inuyasha was suddenly taken out of his reverie to see Kagome standing next to him with a large picnic basket in hand. He looked from the picnic basket to her face that was beaming a smile. Then he looked at her dress. She had changed for him. Now she was wearing a sleeveless sky-blue summer dress that flared out at her waist. He liked the way the dress followed her curves. He suddenly wanted to touch her skin and felt the need to smell her scent again. He bit his lip in annoyance. He was 'Ash' now. He could probably touch her, but smelling her scent was out of the question.

She seemed to pick up on his frown as he walked over to her and put his hand on her arm. Her arm was so soft and warm. He nuzzled his nose up next to her pulse point under her ear and sniffed. He sighed. Almost no scent was discernible. He frowned again. "Uh. No. How about a little further back?" he asked as he pulled her away from the Goshinboku tree and led her toward the back of the shrine. He found an area that was a little more private, with age-old trees and green grasses littering the spaces between the trees. He helped her spread out a cotton blanket.

"Ash, what's wrong?" she asked.

Inuyasha huffed in annoyance. "How do you feel about Inuyasha? You said that you had a crush on him," he said as he crossed his arms in front of himself and held up his chin in a pout.

Kagome paused and looked up at him in disbelief. "Is that what this is all about?" she said while peering up at him with wide eyes. She giggled momentarily. She looked him directly in the eyes and he swallowed as her liquid brown eyes stared through him. She pulled his two arms apart that were folded up against his body and placed each arm on the side of her waist.

"What are you…?" he asked in alarm as she nestled in against his chest.

"I don't have a crush on Inuyasha anymore," she murmured as her warm petit form snuggled in closer to him and he felt his arms hugging her small waist on their own accord.

"You don't…?" he murmured Inuyasha as his eyes widened.

"No, I developed a crush on another guy," she said with a slight smile.

Inuyasha stiffened in her arms and tried to pull away. She held his arms firmly against her and she looked directly into his eyes again.

"I have a crush on a guy with this long raven black hair and these beautiful violet eyes. And he has the most adorable pout when he doesn't get his way…"

"I don't pout!" he barked before he stopped himself when he realized what she had been saying and how he had reacted. "You uh, you uh…," was all he could say.

She snuggled up close to his chest again and sighed deeply. 'This is wrong,' he thought. But even though his mind was telling him one thing, his body was telling him another. Nothing felt better than cradling her petit form and feeling her warmth buried against his chest. Somehow he felt entirely too content. He should have been angry that she no longer had a crush on him as Inuyasha, but knowing that she still cared for him as 'Ash' his alter ego—still warmed him. She couldn't help but to stroke her raven black hair and to kiss the top of her head as he held her close.

"I'll stop singing in his band," she announced as she snuggled into his warmth.

"No, don't do that!" exclaimed Inuyasha in a panic. "Inuyasha needs you. I mean his band needs you to sing. They're going to loose gigs if you don't sing with them."

Kagome leaned away from him and looked at him quizzically. "I thought you wanted me to stay away from him. And I will…if you want me to."

Inuyasha tried to backpedal his way out of it. "No. I trust my cousin. He's a good guy. You don't need to stay away from him."

Kagome pouted. "If that's what you want, Ash."

"That's what I want," Inuyasha said while gulping. "Uh, you made us a picnic?"

Kagome quickly beamed again. "Yes. I made us a bento lunch with my specialty, omelets."

"No ramen?" asked Inuyasha.

Kagome's eyes narrowed dangerously. "No ramen," she mouthed.

"Keh. Just checking," said Inuyasha sheepishly as he reached down for some chopsticks. He speared the small egg omelet with his chopsticks and plopped it in his mouth. He swallowed it quickly before spearing the remaining omelet and then started to ravenously eat anything in the black lacquer bento box.

"Save some for me," Kagome exclaimed before taking a pair of chopsticks in her hand so that she could also eat. As she knelt on the blanket Inuyasha could see that her movements were more measured and careful than his.

They ate for a few moments together in silence before Kagome spoke up. She seemed to be chewing on her chopsticks. "Ash, I've been wanting to ask you…," she paused as if trying to find the words to say.

"Oi," said Inuyasha between bites of food that he was stuffing into his mouth. The food was filling him up in a satisfying way. The wench could cook!

"It's about you and your cousin, Inuyasha…," said Kagome as he voice trailed off.

Inuyasha simply froze with a bite of sushi in his mouth. "Whumph." He chewed for a second and swallowed. "Uh, what do you want to know?" he asked.

Kagome looked at him quizzically as she put her hand under his jaw as if analyzing his face. "You two look so much alike. Well, that is except for your hair, eyes and ears." She then laughed at herself as if telling herself how stupid her questions were. "But your voices... Do you know that you have the same singing voice?"

Inuyasha swallowed again, but this time he didn't have any food in his mouth.

"Same voices?" he said while trying to steel his voice and keep the edge of worry out of it.

"Yes," said Kagome as she looked at her hands in her lap. "I mean you both sing the same. When I was singing with him—I almost imagined it was you I was singing with." She looked up at him and stared at his eyes. "You sound exactly alike."

Inuyasha paused. He knew that he needed to come up with a good explanation for the way their voices were the same. "Oh, uh. When we were in junior high we took singing lessons together. You know, part of band class…," he said as his voice trailed off. "The teacher said we sound like twins. Hell, we even act alike sometimes."

"Oh," said Kagome. "So you and your cousin are close then?"

Ash smiled. 'Closer than you could guess,' he thought. "Like this," he said while crossing two fingers with his hand. "He's like a brother to me."

"A brother?" she asked astounded.

"Yeah," drawled Inuyasha lazily. The lies were flowing smoother now that he had a basis for him to weave his tale around. "Uh, after our Moms died his Dad raised us together."

"Your Mom died? Oh God, Ash. I'm so sorry," said Kagome the pain in her voice was almost palatable.

"Uh, don't be," added Inuyasha as he reached behind his back to scratch his neck. "It uh, happened a long time ago when I was a kid. I got over it."

"But you never truly get over a loved one dying do you?" asked Kagome.

He swallowed again and tried to spear another piece of sushi from the bento box. "Uh, in some ways no. But the pain becomes more bearable as time goes on. She always believed in the Kamis. I just hope…," said Inuyasha as his voice trailed off.

"Just hope what Ash?" Kagome asked with concern.

"I just hope that her faith was deserved. That the Kamis have her soul and that she is happy in heaven," Inuyasha turned his face away from her. "I can't bear the thought of her being gone forever. That just hurts too much."

Kagome wrapped a gentle hand around his cheek and pulled his face to look at hers.

"My Dad died too, in an airplane wreck when I was a kid. I was so angry with the Kamis for taking him from me. But my Mom and Grandpa told me that his soul would live on, in heaven. That I would see him again when I died and that while I lived he would be watching me, looking down at me, taking care of me…"

"I hope you're right Kagome. I hope that you are right," he added with a sad smile.

"Of course I am right," said Kagome with a smile. "I'm a miko. We know these things. Who do you think gives me my power Ash?"

"Uh…"

"The Kamis. Ash, they give me my powers. I always thought that perhaps the Kamis wanted to make up my fathers death to me by giving me these abilities." She looked down briefly at her hands and he tried not to blanch as white purification power briefly built up around her hands. Small white globes of energy glowed in each of her hands before Kagome opened her hands and let the energy dissipate.

"They give and take away, Ash. If they took your mother away, there must be something that they will give you in return. You just need to find out what it is."

"Perhaps you're right Kagome," he said with a small note of doubt in his voice.

"Of course I'm right," she added thoughtfully as she kissed him on the cheek. "Now eat up," she added as she took a slice of sashimi into her chopsticks and fed him.

Within five minutes all of the bento box food was gone and Inuyasha was trying to shove up the remaining grains of rice into his mouth.

"Did you like it?" asked Kagome hopefully.

"Umns gumph," said Inuyasha with his mouth full of rice.

Kagome raised an eyebrow and then moved right next to Inuyasha. She took a paper napkin and tried to wipe his mouth. "You have rice stuck to your face," she said. Ash looked at her lips and the way she moistened them briefly with her tongue as she set to work cleaning him up. He was so focused on her lips that he almost missed the mischievous grin that spread across her face.

Inuyasha was momentarily off balance. "What do you have planned Kagome?" he asked in surprise.

She only smiled and crawled over him as she leaned forward. Her lips brushed against his and then he felt her tongue licking around his mouth. "Kagome, what?" he asked again.

There was no answer, but he felt the sticky rice that was on his face was being licked off, one grain at a time. Her soft breasts pressed up next to his chest and he was trying everything he could to keep from touching her body. She was so close that he felt the warmth coming from her skin and her lingering breath that brushed against his face.

"Damn woman," he murmured. He really couldn't stop his actions. He grabbed her forearms and pulled her toward him, capturing her mouth with his. She knelt in front of him and pulled her hands up to cup either side of his face, drawing him closer to her for a deeper kiss.

His hands gingerly moved from her forearms, then down her waist and traveled along either side of her body. She moaned as he kissed her. 'She does like being touched this way,' was all he could think as he smirked. 'And she was so angry the last time I did this…' Inuyasha's hands traced a lazy trail from her thighs, up to her bottom, to her waist, then up to cup her breasts. Unlike her anger from last time, she was moaning now. His hands continued to knead her breasts through the thin cotton fabric, but it was maddening. There was too much fabric in the way of what he wanted to touch.

Her delicate fingers crept down from his face and moved under his shirt. Her trembling fingers ghosted over his chest leaving a hot ache in their place. She moved her hands up methodically against the hard planes of his upper chest until they started to move steadily downward, tracing fires across his hot skin. They lightly touched his quivering six-pack, glided across the bulge that was developing at his crotch before returning to his upper chest.

"Damn," he murmured again. The need to smell her and to take in her scent overrode the logic that had now vanished from his mind. Kissing her and touching her without her scent was like trying to appreciate the brilliance of the diamond in the dark or asking someone who was blind to describe a sunset to you. There was so much that was lost, so much more that you needed to experience.

'I really shouldn't be doing this. But damn, I need all of my senses,' he thought. He reached over to a cloth napkin and started to fold it over diagonally so that it looked like a bandanna. "Kagome let me put this one you," he ordered.

"Wha…Ash?" she asked.

"Just let me blindfold you for a moment," he said as the startled girl let him tie the napkin like a blindfold.

"What's this for?" asked Kagome as she tried to pull at the blindfold.

"Just trust me," Inuyasha intoned softly.

She had a puzzled look on her face as she stared ahead with a yellow blindfold covering her eyes. Inuyasha waved his hands in front of her face to make sure that she couldn't see--then he tugged his ring off of his finger. His black hair quickly changed to grey and then silver. His human ears melted away, traveled up the side of his face until they became white dog-like ears. He breathed in deeply. It was like taking a breath of fresh air in the wilderness. Smelling things that you had taken for granted before when you were in the city. Instead of smelling pine needles or the richness of warm earth, he was smelling Kagome and it was a luscious scent.

"Kagome," was all he could say with the deepest need. He put another hand back over her eyes as his golden eyes looked at the beautiful girl in front of him. He bent down to kiss her again. Even the taste of her became more intoxicating when he was in his true form. The essence of Kagome wrapped around him, clogging his senses—mesmerizing him. "You're my drug woman," he murmured to her. She was his designer drug--better than any alcohol or drug he had ever experienced.

She only moaned under his kisses and touch. His hand trailed down her side and he groaned when he smelled her scent spike again with a warm musty scent. His own body reacted to hers without any conscious volition on his part. He moved her onto his pelvis, her legs straddling his lap. He bucked against her without realizing what he was doing. Then she slid up against him--her warm core rubbing up against his hardness. He smelled her wetness, her arousal, broadcasting to him that she was ready and that he could take her. He couldn't help but to try to grind against her even though the thick cotton of his jeans pants felt abrasive. 'Fucking jeans,' he thought. He moved a hand behind her and touched her warm and firm bottom. Then he slid a hand under her thin cotton panties to touch round, satiny smooth skin.

"Ash?" she asked.

"Hummm…," he drawled lazily as he kissed up and down her neck—licking and tasting her wonderful scent.

"Your nails," she said as she swatted at his hand that had gripped her bottom.

"Sorry," he murmured trying to touch her again without his claws coming into contact with her supple ass.

Kagome pulled back against him and her face wore a confused look. "Why do you have sharp nails?" she asked.

He panicked. Quickly he fumbled with his hands trying to grasp a silver ring that had fallen onto the back of her sky blue skirt.

Suddenly images from his dream from last night cascaded into his mind. Images of him taking off his ring while having sex with her, images of her noticing his silver hair, images of her look of absolute astonishment, images of her hurt and finally an image of her leaving him… 'What the fuck was I thinking?' he reprimanded himself. 'If she sees who I really am…'

"Ash?" she asked again. But this time she sounded a little annoyed and she started to tug at the blindfold. He gulped.

"Uh, I have to trim my nails?" he said doubtfully as he finally managed to grasp the ring, moved his finger within the circle and slid it on his finger. His silver hair shimmered into obsidian black, his golden eyes changed quickly to violet and his ears moved down the side of his face until they became human ears. Suddenly the inviting smell that had enraptured his senses faded away again. He sighed at the loss.

'I can't do that again,' he thought. 'That was too damn close.'

Kagome pulled the blindfold down from her eyes. She looked at Inuyasha with a curious look on her face before she grabbed one of his hands and pulled it up to her face for a closer look. She turned his hand over and traced every nail with her finger. "I could swear that you had the sharpest nails that I had ever felt," she said while perplexed. His nails were obviously blunt.

"Uh, maybe I scratched you by mistake?" he said.

"Maybe?" answered Kagome in confusion. Then she looked down to see how closely she was wrapped around Ash and blinked. She quickly blushed and a shimmer of pink graced her cheeks. "I…uh…," said Kagome with some embarrassment.

Inuyasha quickly nipped her under her ear. "You're pretty cute when you blush, you know that don't you?" he asked. She giggled and kissed him chastely on the lips.

"Kagome!" an elderly man yelled out.

"I'm over here, Grandpa," yelled out Kagome as she tried to brush her hair with her fingers and managed to sit down next to Inuyasha, rather than on top of him.

She took his hand in hers just as her grandpa found them sitting on their picnic blanket in the middle of a copse of trees. "Granddaughter, you still need to attend to your miko duties. You need to say the sacred rites and burn the prayers that have been offered."

Kagome looked up at her grandfather as if nothing important had happened in the last few moments. "Sure thing Grandpa. Just let us finish our picnic."

Her grandfather looked at them both curiously before he turned around and left the area. When her grandfather was out of hearing, suddenly Kagome erupted into giggles.

"What's wrong with you wench?" Inuaysha asked.

Kagome stopped giggling for a second. "My name's not wench it's…"

Inuyasha closed the gap between them and quickly kissed her on the lips. As his lips hovered above hers he whispered, "I know…Kagome…" he said breathlessly.

Kagome looked back up at Ash with a smirk on her face. "Better not forget it buster," she added playfully before kissing him again.

* * *

_**Big thanks to Theleb K'aarna and Blackdeathmessenger for being my betas for this chapter.**_

* * *

_**Authors Notes:**_

_#1: I have been through hell this past week. After my laptop died, my desktop Mac stopped booting after we had a blackout. I had no backup of this Chapter or the mostly finished next chapter. I was in tears! Luckily for me (and all my readers) I was able to bribe the repair technician with 'Lindt Truffle' chocolates and I got my Mac back in working order. I've just backed up everything (AGAIN) and I have a new UPS. Wheeh! I hope I don't have to go through that again._

_#2: I listened to Cascada's 'Everytime We Touch' while writing this chapter._

_#3: Originally I had quite a lime going on in this chapter instead of the 'intense kissing' that you were left with. Sorry to cut out the lime. There's citrus at the start of the next chapter. Hee hee…_

_#4: In an interview Rumiko Takahashi mentions that Kagome's Dad dies in a plane accident._

* * *

_**Review Responses:**_

_Diamond369: Errr…no, Inuyasa does not reveal his secret in the next chapter. But she will find out…eventually… just wait and see…_

_TiffanyM: I hope you enjoyed additional flashbacks in this chapter. I'll update as long as my computer is running. Pray to the computer gods for me…_

Sofiakalaughable: OK. "WOOT!" I get it. :-)

_**Next chapter:**__ Dreams, Teams and Flings. Yes, some citrus. See you then, ja ne?_


	15. Chapter 15: Dreams, Teams and Flings

**Chapter 15: Dreams, Teams and Flings**

* * *

_Citrus alert. Don't read this chapter if you're not an adult—it contains sex scenes and swearing._

* * *

For some strange reason Inuyasha was inside his closet looking through a small gap in the sliding door. He was lying on his back on the closet floor clothed only in his boxers. It was uncomfortable since Koga's smelly shoes were in there as well. He threw a few shoes out of the way and cursed. Soon he had a clear section of the closet to lie down on. He looked out the closet again, he was waiting for something. He knew something was supposed to happen.

Soon he saw his human form, 'Ash' pull Kagome into his bedroom.

'Now this is completely impossible,' he thought. 'I can't be in two places at once.' Soon the realization that this was a dream hit him. However, that it was simply a dream didn't bother him, he was anticipating something and he wanted whatever he was waiting for. He continued to peer through the gap to notice 'Ash' peeling off Kagome's clothes. He had taken off her spaghetti string top and then slid her tight miniskirt down her legs. She stepped out of the miniskirt and he savored the sight. A black lace bra cupped her breasts and a black thong panty separated her butt cheeks in a thin black line. He watched in fascination as 'Ash' kissed and licked at her breasts through her lace bra and then rubbed his other hand against her crotch.

"You're so wet," Ash said as his finger rubbed back and forth across the thin crotch of her thong panty.

"Oh Ash," she moaned.

Then Ash looked into the closet and made eye contact with his alter self. Ash nodded to Inuyasha. This entire show was for Inuyasha's benefit and Inuyasha was going to take full advantage of the situation. He took down his boxer shorts until they were pooled around one leg. Inuyasha moved one hand up and down his hardening length.

'Damn bitch,' he thought. 'She's supposed to be fucking me. Not him.' His anger just got him harder. His gut clenched in desire.

Ash's shirt was off now and Kagome was running her tongue down his chest. Then she stopped at his jeans. She fumbled with a button and then pulled down a zipper. Ash stepped out of his jeans and looked at Kagome like a predator sees his prey. He stood there in front of her in black boxer shorts. Kagome made short work of moving her hands into his waistband and then pulling down his shorts with a jerk. Ash's shaft sprung out once it was freed from its confines.

Ash drew Kagome next to him, his hardened cock up against her flat stomach as he peeled her bra and thong panty off of her body.

Inuyasha gasped as he saw her creamy skin. There she was, her rounded ass, her pert breasts with hardened brown-pink nipples, a rosy blush that cascaded from her face down to her chest and long thick raven tresses that cascaded down her back. He licked his lips as he saw Ash move to suckle at one breast before moving to the other one. He wanted to be the one there, the one licking her, the one touching her.

He saw Ash move her over to his bed. Her back was pressing against his chest as he used his knees to spread her legs.

Looking at her naked rear end splayed out against his bed, ready for entrance spurred on Inuyasha's strokes. He started to make rasping noises in the closet, he hoped that they couldn't hear him over their own moans.

Inuyasha watched as Ash lined himself up behind Kagome, his hardness pointing to the gap between her legs that he wanted to enter. Ash's hand fondled her wetness for a few more moments before he put a hand on the side of her ass and then used another hand to bend her forward and onto the bed. She now stood there, spread eagled, her ass facing him. With one swift thrust Ash slammed into her body. One hand was on her firm ass and another was rubbing her nub. She whimpered first and then moaned in pleasure.

"Who's your man?" asked Ash.

"You!" said Kagome in gasps.

"Say my name," said Ash as he pulled out of her. Kagome's thighs quivered at the loss and she started to stroke herself. Ash shoved her hand out of the way and moved the tip of his cock at her entrance again, rubbing against her wetness.

"Ash!" she gasped.

Ash slammed into her again, moving in and out of her. She moaned again, gritting her teeth.

Inuyasha stayed in the closet. His anger was overflowing, but it just made him want to stroke himself quicker. He griped his fingers up and down his shaft. Stroking faster in his anger.

"Who is the only man you'll ever fuck?" Ash demanded as he pulled out momentarily.

Kagome gasped again. "Ash, only you," she barely managed to utter as her hand snaked back to grip his ass closer to hers.

"And Inuyasha?" Ash demanded as he rubbed his cock against her wet entrance again, teasing her.

"I only want you!" she gasped.

Ash turned to look directly at the closet. He smirked at Inuyasha as he shoved his hard cock into her again.

"Only me baby, only me," he demanded as he held her ass, rubbed her nub and moved inside of her again.

"Goddamned prick," said Inuyasha as he stroked himself harder. He felt the pressure building. The feeling of his balls clenching, ready to release, the dam was ready to burst.

Kagome's moans became louder, her eyes were closed and her moans soon became screams.

"Ash!" she screamed as she released and her legs quivered.

Inuyasha let the feeling go as he stroked. The buildup of pressure burst out of him, warm cum spurt out falling over his hands, abdomen and the carpet in the closet.

Ash pulled back to drive into her harder and harder until he also cried out, "Kagome!" He fell against her back, falling against his bed, while standing. Ash kissed Kagome's back before reaching around to kiss her lips.

"Goddamn Ash. Goddamn Kagome," moaned Inuyasha as he laid there in his closet alone, while two lovers cradled each other blissfully on his own bed.

Soon his closet floor morphed into his bed and Koga's assorted shoes became the bunched up covers of his bed. His body was sweaty and cum was on him and his twisted sheets. He dully took in the room and noted that there was filtered daylight shining into his room past the curtains. Koga was lying on his own bed across the room, passed out to the world—wet drool all over his pillow.

"Kagome," was all he said while staring at his ceiling.

* * *

Inuyasha moved down the sparsely decorated concrete hallway. There were a few posters on the walls of various UCLA teams. The entire area stunk of dirty gym socks, sweat, steam and the cool, stony smell of concrete. He paused in front of a door that was labeled, "Coach Myoga". Inuyasha rapped against the door. "Oi!" he called out.

A voice inside answered. "Come on in…"

Inuyasha paused and pulled the door open. He didn't even make eye contact with Coach Myoga who was going through paperwork on his steel desk. He then closed the door behind him before making his way to sit on an old beat up chair that sat before the Coach's desk.

Myoga looked up once Inuyasha sat down. The coach's eyes beamed with happiness. "Well, well my boy. How can I help one of my favorite players?"

"Uh, that's just it," mumbled Inuyasha as he looked at his lap before he met Myoga eye to eye. "I need to talk to you about this spying business."

"Oh," said Myoga as he leaned back. His smile quickly faded and was replaced with a look of coolness. "What about the spying?"

"Look, Coach. I can't keep on spying on USC," said Inuyasha in frustration as he folded his arms out in front of him.

"Why?" asked Myoga with a surprised look on his face. "I thought you relished this job."

"Sesshomaru relished it, Myoga," spat out Inuyasha. "It was his idea. Not mine. I don't want any part of it."

Myoga sat back against his desk. "It's only for two more months Inuyasha." Inuyasha scowled at him and then Myoga sat back up. The coach's small form looking taller than it normally would with his high-rise chair.

Inuyasha stopped looking at Myoga and then looked out a small window that looked over the track that was outside. "You don't understand. I can't. I can't do this anymore. I need to stop now. Now Myoga," Inuyasha clenched the arms of his chair and his demon claws punctured the seat.

"Whoah, whoah, boy. Settle down. Keep that demonic temper of yours in check. Do you know how much that ring is worth?"

Inuyasha stopped clenching the chairs armrests and then picked up the silver ring that was dangling on a chain around his neck. "No," said Inuyasha as if he was a spoiled child that had just been denied something.

"It's a rare artifact, worth thousands of dollars. Totosai did us an immense favor by letting us have it. And he's expecting us to get the extra information so that he can bet on us for the final game. You owe him."

Inuyasha let the chain drop back into his shirt. "I don't owe him anything. This was your idea and Sesshomaru's. I can't do this anymore."

Myoga's lips pursed in thought. "Why are you so adamant about not doing this anymore, Inuyasha?" asked Myoga. He looked down at Inuyasha who was avoiding any eye contact, had an immense scowl on his face and still had his hands folded over his chest. Myoga paused long enough to wait for an answer. When he saw that none was forthcoming, he stood up and walked over to Inuyasha to grip him on his shoulders.

"Inuyasha my boy, you know that I'm counting on you, the team is counting on you, UCLA is counting on you," Myoga paused and looked at Inuyasha square in the eye. "I didn't want to say this boy, but you could lose a position on this team if you can't follow through with this simple task. It's only for two more months."

Myoga's steely gray eyes stared at Inuyasha. "Remember Inuyasha. I am the one who went up against the school board and pleaded your case. I'm the one who asked them to let you on the team. You owe me."

Myoga stood up from his chair and started to pace. His arms were folded on his back in concentration. "Do you remember what it was like before you were on this team? You wanted to prove yourself so badly. You wanted to prove that you were just as good as your brother. And no one would give you the time of day. The students harassed you and the board wouldn't let you on the team. But I went to bat for you boy." Myoga paused. "And now I expect you to go to bat for me as well. Don't let me down."

Inuyasha nodded dully and then walked out of Myoga's office his head bent low with his silver bangs covering his eyes.

Coach Myoga could only pause and wonder why the cocky hanyou was suddenly pensive and full of regret.

* * *

Inuyasha was actually trying not to enjoy himself. He knew that watching the Holy Shikon team during their workouts was wrong, but the view was wonderful. He was sitting on the bleachers in his usual spot, close by the tracks. His eyes were following a certain raven-haired miko who was jogging around the field. Today he noticed she was only wearing a black sports bra and burgundy colored nylon shorts with yellow strips down the sides. He had never seen her midriff so clearly before. Today her body was shimmering with glistening sweat, which allowed him to appreciate her tone abdomen more. He watched her hips sway from side to side as she jogged. Once she turned the track he looked at her firm backside, the glimmering muscles of her legs and her long black ponytail that flickered back and forth.

"Hey, you! Watch out!" yelled a voice.

Inuyasha could hear the telltale shrill that let him know a ball was headed in his direction. Even though he was in human form, he still had some demonic instincts and speed. A volleyball was about to make an abrupt collision with his face, but he was able to lift up one hand in time to catch it soundly. Pfffttt.

For this first time Inuyasha stopped looking at Kagome and looked down dully at the volleyball in his hands. He looked across the field to see a volleyball game in session and he quickly stood to toss the ball back with both hands. The ball hit the player in the guts with a huge 'thump'. Inuyasha could only grin as the volleyball player tried to keep from doubling over.

Inuyasha turned to look back at the USC team. Some of the players were actually looking at him questioningly. Coach Kaede walked up to him.

"I've noticed that you come to our practices often," observed the elderly coach as she looked at him shrewdly.

"Yeah, I meet Kagome here. We usually go out afterwards," answered Inuyasha as he folded his hands over his chest.

"A friend of Kagome's," said Kaede with a straight face. "Hummm, what is your name young man?" she asked.

He almost answered 'Inuyasha'. It was hard to lie to Coach Kaede, it felt like she could look into your very soul when she stared at you. "Ash, my name is Ash," he responded.

"And do you go to school here?" asked Kaede.

"Oh, no…I…I go to school at UCSB," answered Inuyasha sheepishly as he scratched his neck.

"That is too bad," added Kaede. "Your reflexes are good and you have a powerful throwing arm. Have you ever thought about team sports?"

Inuyasha looked back at her blinking. "Ummm, I don't have time for it. I uh, I'm also in a band."

"Yet you have time to come see Kagome work out every week. Interesting," she added. "Well, Ash. It looks like you can't be enlisted to be part of our team…so how about I ask you to help out with our workouts? Seeing that you are here to be with Kagome anyway?"

A light blush started to form around Inuyasha's cheeked before he looked up at Kaede. "Help?" he asked flustered.

"Yes, a young man with your speed, strength and reflexes could be a good sparing partner for our team. You wouldn't mind if I had you spar against Kagome would you?"

Inuyasha's mind quickly was flooded with images of him wrestling Kagome--her firm and lithe body under his. He imagined pinning her and having her in his arms. He imagined the feel of her warm, sweaty thighs rubbing up against his as he touched her. He imagined wrapping his arms around her chest and feeling her soft round mounds under his hands. He was so flustered that he had trouble forming a coherent sentence. "I guess I could help," he mentioned.

Kaede smiled at him warmly. "Come then child. We're about to do sparring and I think Kagome would be better suited to be with you than Hojo."

"Why that idiot better not touch Kagome," Inuyasha fumed as he trailed off after Kaede. She only smiled to herself as she took the whistle from her lanyard and blew it with a shrill.

"OK. Time to spar. And Ash here has volunteered to help us out," intoned Coach Kaede. "Miroku you can spar with Sango…"

Miroku looked at Sango with a lustful glint in his eyes. "Don't even think about it monk," said Sango with a glare. Miroku only held up his hands to feign innocence as he trailed after Sango, keeping an ever-present eye on her ass.

"Hojo, you can spar with Ayumi." Hojo's eyes looked downcast as he looked from Kagome to Ayumi.

"Ash you can join Kagome. Kagome show him the basics of sparing. I bet he can keep you on your toes. He has good reflexes," added Kaede.

Coach Kaede continued to name off pairs for sparing while Kagome walked up to Ash. "How did you manage that?" asked Kagome as she took a swig of her water bottle and then started to squirt it onto her hair, her front and down her back.

Inuyasha sat there momentarily stunned as he watched the cool water trickling down her shimmering skin. Small rivulets of water slid down her tan skin, running down the valley between her breasts. Other smaller trickles of water flowed quickly down her back before stopping at her jogging trunks. Since she was bent over to drench herself he couldn't help but to notice two twin dimples above each side of her round bottom. The water hovered momentarily at each dimple before pooling there.

Inuyasha gulped again. "Ash, I asked you a question," said Kagome as she stood up. She didn't seem to notice that he had been staring at her.

"Oh, uh. I don't know how I managed it myself. I just caught a volleyball and threw it back and all of the sudden Kaede was asking if I could help with your workouts."

Kagome looked at him quizzically then turned her back to him as she led him to a rectangular chalked area of the field. She quickly turned her head to look at him slyly. "Whatever am I going to do with you Ash?" she asked.

Inuyasha could only grin as he ran up to her. "I have a few ideas," he added while he wrapped his two hands around her waist. Soon his lips found their way to her neck and he was about to kiss her behind her ear when he heard another shrill whistle.

"Young man, I said that you are to spar not make out. If you try that one more time with my athlete while we are practicing I will banish you from this field," yelled Coach Kaede.

Inuyasha paused and thought about the consequences of continuing his actions. Her sweat had brought out her scent to a point that even with his faded senses, he could still smell her. Kami, how he loved the way she smelled! If he continued kissing her on the field and if he was told to leave by Kaede--at least he would have a ready excuse to no longer have to be at the USC workouts.

Inuyasha moved to kiss her neck when Kagome pulled away from him. Then she turned to face him with a no nonsense look on her face. She was standing about one meter away from him and had both hands on her hips.

"Listen Ash, I like having you here. So don't screw this up and get yourself kicked out," warned Kagome as she waggled her finger at him.

"But…," pouted Inuyasha.

She smiled at him slyly and gave him a devious grin. "Just hold it all in boy, we can continue this after our workout."

"Is that a promise?" asked Inuyasha.

"You can count on it," responded Kagome. "Now have you ever taken any martial arts?"

"Yes, kendo," replied Inuyasha. Of course he also had learned street brawling from fighting his brother all of these years, but he didn't need to tell Kagome that.

"OK, Coach Kaede has us do Taekwondo moves when we practice." Kagome handed Inuyasha some of the padded guards and shields they would use for protection. Inuyasha laughed to himself. They never used anything that would protect them during his demonic workouts at UCLA--anyone with demon blood healed so quickly that padding wasn't necessary. He momentarily wondered how the weak humans in front of him could put up such a strong fight during the tournaments. Then he looked up at Kagome who was donning a red face guard and a chest guard. Suddenly she seemed like fragile glass. He stared at her again.

Kagome finished putting on her shin guards and then looked up at Inuyasha. "You know about martial arts and Taekwondo, don't you Ash?"

Inuyasha drew himself out of his gaze and answered Kagome. "OK mainly fancy footwork, I get it." He frowned when he looked at Kagome. She was covered in padding and he couldn't see her curves as well as he had hoped. However, as he sighed he could see that at least she would have some measure of protection during her workouts. It was too bad she wasn't allowed to wear them during competitions.

"You sure?" asked Kagome as she finished pulling her shin guards on.

"Yes, I'm sure," responded Inuyasha. "Now I don't want to hurt you, seeing that you are a girl…"

Kagome smiled back at him, but her smile looked devious. "Because I'm a girl you want to take it easy on me?" she asked dryly.

"Well, yeah," answered a blustered Inuyasha. "I wouldn't want to hurt a girl." Memories of him punching her in the gut during their last tournament and how her abdomen was blemished with a purple-grey bruise tugged at his mind.

Kagome stood at the opposite corner of the chalk marked field. She took a stance with a slight lunge, one hand positioned in front of her chest and the other hand clutched at her side. "The UCLA team won't hold back. So I need you to not hold back," said Kagome as she quickly moved forward and attempted to land a kick close to his ribcage. He could tell that she was testing his defenses.

"But Kagome, I don't want to hurt you," lamented Inuyasha as he lunged to the side in order to dodge the kick she was attempting to connect.

"Then I can't spar with you. I'll need to get Hojo instead," said Kagome as she moved back quickly and bounced.

Inuyasha growled. "Fine. Just don't get mad at me if I connect," he intoned with a grimace. Inuyasha crouched to the ground and then sprung up in an attempt to grapple Kagome. She dodged by rolling to her side and then quickly jumped back up. She stood in a lunge again.

"Good," she said with a smile. "I knew that you could fight." Kagome tried another kick that would have hit him square in the chest if he hadn't lunged to the side and grabbed her leg with his arm. He quickly pulled against her leg and brought her body against him. Soon he had her back against him and both off his arms firmly encircled around her chest. 'Too bad there's a damn chest guard in the way,' he thought wryly.

Inuyasha thought that he had won and that the struggle was over. That was why he was so surprised to feel her grab his arms. Then with a sudden lurch she tucked under him and rolled.

"Wha?" he yelled out as he rolled over her and fell with his back to the ground in front of her. Before he knew it Kagome was on top of him, straddling him and pinning his arms down.

"Yield!" she demanded.

Inuyasha only looked up at her cockily and grinned. "Nope I don't yield," he said smiling. Kagome was straddling his pelvis and her breasts were pressed up against his chest as she pinned his arms back. He decided to pretend to struggle against her. He pushed up against her arms that had pinned him. He tried to let her think that she could win before he simply pulled his arms free and then grabbed Kagome to pull her in even closer to him.

"I don't think you understand the point of this match," murmured Kagome with her body pressed firmly against his.

"Sure I do," he said smirking. "I get to pin you don't I? And now you're mine!"

"Ash, you let me go," said Kagome as she started to push up against him.

"Make me," he said.

Kagome glared at him. She was pinned against him and he had her in a vice-like hold that was almost impossible to get out of. Then she smiled deviously. "Ash, I'll make it worth your while."

"Oh? How so," Inuyasha asked as Kagome's lips hovered above his. Her lips came down to meet his and her tongue darted out, licking his outer lips. He parted his lips to capture her tongue when he felt her body shift. She quickly rolled to the side and escaped his arms.

"Tricky wench," he voiced as she pushed against the ground to quickly regain her stance. He looked up at her dejectedly as he sighed and pushed himself up as well. He decided to go back to his favorite stance, the crouch. It was one of the best stances you could have if you wanted to grapple and that was all he wanted to do with Kagome right now. 'Grapple her and pin her to the ground,' he thought with a smirk. 'This is going to be an enjoyable afternoon.'

They spent the rest of the afternoon grappling. Inuyasha was surprised to see how well Kagome could fight. He was much larger and stronger than she was, but more than once she was able to use his size and weight against him. Inuyasha found it all pretty amazing since she was a petit little girl. He also found it difficult to truly fight her and because of this he was always holding back. He kept on remembering the bruise that had marred her stomach after their first match and he vowed to never hurt her like that again.

Soon they had finished their workout and after a few encouraging words from Coach Kaede, the team broke up to go to the locker rooms. For the first time at USC Inuyasha felt he needed to shower, so he followed after Miroku and borrowed some of his shampoo and clothes.

"You're lucky that I have some spare workout clothes," said Miroku as they finished getting dressed in the locker room.

Inuyasha was towel drying his long black hair. It felt so good to be clean and not be hot and sweaty. He tied up his hair in a ponytail and then he started to put on the burgundy and yellow colored shorts and shirt that Miroku had let him borrow. He felt a certain amount of irony in putting on the USC burgundy and yellow colors. Now all he needed to complete the ensemble was to have the USC letters on his shirt. A sweatshirt was quickly thrown in his face.

"Hey, what?" asked Inuyasha as he pulled a burgundy hoodie away from his face.

"It's to keep you warm. You have to drive back on a motorcycle right?" asked Miroku.

Inuyasha looked down at the hoodie and tried not to grimace. It had 'USC' emblazoned on it in big yellow letters. Inuyasha threw it back at Miroku. "Uh, thanks. But I'll just wear my leather jacket instead."

Miroku shrugged and started to shove his workout clothes into his duffle bag. He then threw a small plastic bag to Inuyasha.

"What's that for?" asked Inuyasha as he held up the small plastic grocery bag.

"For your dirty clothes," answered Miroku. "It'll make it easier for you to drive home on the motorcycle. Just give me my clothes back at the next practice. OK?"

"Sure. Uh, thanks," said Inuyasha sheepishly.

"Anytime, don't mention it," said Miroku as they started to exit out of the locker room.

Suddenly Inuyasha remembered a conversation that he had had with Kagome a few days before. He had actually asked her out as Inuyasha she had said some rather unflattering things about him. Her exact words still stung. '_Miroku was right! You're so full of yourself!_' Inuyasha tried not to growl at Miroku. He was after all the person who had just loaned him clothes, but he needed to get something squared away.

Inuyasha quickly caught up with Miroku and they made their way to the bleachers to wait for the girls to get out of their locker rooms. "Oi. Miroku, you know Kagome mentioned something to me about Inuyasha."

"Oh yeah, what's that?" asked Miroku as he looked over his shoulder at Inuyasha.

"She said that you mentioned that he was 'full of himself'?"

Miroku laughed. "Oh that. Actually that was nothing. I really read the riot act to her."

Inuyasha was stunned. "Riot act?" he asked.

"Yeah, Sango and I, we never told her everything about Inuyasha. Kagome had such a big crush on him that we really couldn't tell her the entire truth. Then when he yelled at her at the tournament and she started crying for over an hour I just… Well, I snapped. I told her the truth."

"Truth?"

Miroku grimaced. "Yeah, you know. You know about him don't you? Everyone knows. I guess everyone but Kagome I guess. He's a player. He has a new girl every week. I hear that he dumps them after he's gotten them into bed…"

Inuyasha paled. "I don't think…"

"Anyway, to keep her from crying for another hour I told her everything I had heard about him."

"Everything?" murmured Inuyasha in disbelief.

"Yeah, everything. She was bound to find out sooner or later. I'm just sad that she had reality slap her in the face that night. You really helped her get over that slimy jerk. Could you imagine what he would have done with our innocent little Kagome?" Miroku asked as he rolled his eyes. "He would have fucked her and then dumped her."

Inuyasha's stunned face looked at Miroku in horror. "No, he wouldn't. He wouldn't do anything like that with Kagome."

Miroku sat down at the bleachers and looked at Inuyasha dryly. "You're kidding me, right man? She'd just be another notch to his bedpost. It's better this way. She cried a little, but she got over him. It would have been worse if he actually got a hold of her. She'd be inconsolable after he dumped her. You see she has this strange way of looking at the world…"

"Strange way…"

Miroku looked up wistfully at the skies. "Yes, she thinks that everyone is inherently good. Even that Inuyasha guy... She's so naïve and innocent. I just don't want to see her get hurt. But now at least I don't have to worry about him hurting her. Sango and me were pretty worried for a while."

Inuyasha didn't say anything. He just wrung his on hands before he sat up to stare at the sky. 'Is that what I have become?' he thought. 'Just some ass who dumps girls after fucking them? Is that what I would have done to Kagome?'

Suddenly his own heart hurt. 'Yes, that was what I intended to do to Kagome,' he thought. 'I was going to fuck her and humiliate her. Now, I'm…' He paused in thought. 'What am I now?' He thought about Kagome. In his mind he saw her smiling at him and he couldn't help but to smile wistfully in return. She was constantly in his thoughts and now even invaded his dreams. Somehow her life had become entangled with his.

'Kagome. What have you done to me?' he thought as he looked up at the blue skies.

* * *

_**Special thanks to Theleb K'aarna who went over Tang Su Do martial arts techniques with me so that I could write the sparring session. **_

_**As always, thank you Theleb K'aarna and Blackdeathmessenger for being my betas for this chapter.**_

_**Please read and review. It helps inspire me to write more chapters!**_

* * *

_**Review Responses:**_

_Diamond369: Oh, she's going to find out alright. It's coming up. Though I don't know exactly which chapter yet. And once she finds out things will start happening really quick!_

_Saikoubi-Megami: Thanks a bunch. I'm glad that you're enjoying it._

_TiffanyM: I try to update every Saturday's (as long as my computer behaves)._

_Blackdeathmessenger: Ha! I thought that he should get slapped, too. I just figured Inuyasha wasn't the type to apologize for anything. But my other beta said Inuyasha couldn't be THAT stupid. But then again this is Inuyasha we are talking about…Ha ha!? Oh and I love it. Inuyasha was too smart and too stupid all in one chapter?! I have to tone down his intellect. According to Rumiko the only person he is smarter than is Koga (which isn't saying much)._

_**Next chapter:**__ Yamashiro. Inuyasha and Kagome go out on a date. Yes, I said 'Inuyasha', not 'Ash'. See you then, ja ne?_


	16. Chapter 16: Yamashiro

_**Ch 16: Yamashiro**_

Inuyasha griped the ticket in his hand. It read, 'USC Choral Concert' November 30th, 6PM, Bovard Auditorium'. He tried to stand to the side of the hallway away from the stream of people leaving the theatre. He was hoping that the other students at USC wouldn't notice that there was a half-demon among them. He was wearing black sunglasses, had a black baseball hat on and tucked his long silver pony-tail into his leather jacket. Even his clawed hands were covered in leather gloves. He knew that he was pushing his luck when he came to the USC campus in his half-demon form. He could have put on his ring and showed up as a human. But that would prevent him from taking advantage of this opportunity to be near Kagome, as he really was. He just hoped that Kagome wouldn't be too mad because 'Ash' was going to stand her up tonight and that 'Inuyasha' was going to take his place.

Tonight had been Kagome's choral concert that she had invited 'Ash' to when they had first met. Inuyasha rested his head against the cool tiles of the hallway as he thought about the concert. Kagome had looked lovely as she sang her solo piece. Her voice was what had amazed him the most. Sure, he had heard her sing before. But he had never heard her hit such high notes or imagined that she could draw out a note that lingered in the air like a delicate bird wafting on the air currents. He had always known that she was professionally trained. Her voice and pitch were too perfect to be otherwise. However, tonight she was otherworldly.

It was at that moment that he picked up her scent. The clear fragrance of cherry blossoms and jasmine filtered across his senses and he was so glad that he could fully appreciate the bouquet that was Kagome. Tonight there was no need to try to hide who he was in front of her. He turned to notice Kagome standing in the hallway with a confused expression on her face. She was still wearing her long black dress that had a long slit up one side and spaghetti straps holding up the ensemble. Her ebony hair was held in a messy bun and wisps of her wavy black hair crested over each ear.

"Oi! Kagome!" he shouted around the crowd who were packing the hallway.

Kagome turned around to face him with a happy expression on her face that once again turned into confusion as she approached him.

"Ash?" she asked questioningly as she looked at his face. Then he tipped his sunglasses down to reveal golden eyes that were smirking at her.

"Inuyasha?!" she asked in surprise. "What are you doing here and where is Ash?"

Inuyasha moved his sunglasses back into place and prepared himself for something that he knew might not be pleasant. "Haven't you checked your cell phone for messages?" he questioned. "Ash asked me to pick you up and take you out tonight. He got called away last minute to play with his band in Santa Barbara tonight."

"No! He wouldn't!" exclaimed Kagome as she looked at him in disbelief.

Inuyasha shrugged. "Feh. Suit yourself, check your messages though." He was trying very hard to not wince at her reaction. He didn't want to know how she would react when she actually listened to the message.

Kagome brought out a small black purse and fished for her pink cell phone. Once she found it she quickly dialed some numbers and listened to her messages. Inuyasha knew exactly what she was about to hear. In fact, soon he heard his own voice start to play over her cell phone. His ears twitched under the baseball cap as they picked up on the faint message. "Kagome. It's Ash. I'm sorry babe. My band needs me to play in a last minute gig in Santa Barbara tonight. I won't be back until tomorrow. I've asked my cousin, Inuyasha to pick you up and take you out tonight. I'll make this up to you. See ya babe."

"Ohhhh!!" exclaimed Kagome as she slammed her cell phone right back into her purse. "I dressed up just for him. I got a front row seat just for him. And what does that lousy man do? He stood me up!"

Inuyasha looked at her warily. He had never seen her so angry before. Her cheeks were red in anger and he could imagine steam rising from her ears. He secretly decided that not only was he glad that he wasn't 'Ash' at this moment, but that maybe 'Ash' should stay away for more than a day if this was what awaited him.

"Oi. Kagome," said Inuyasha as she fumed and mentioned how men were unreliable jerks. She didn't even seem to notice that Inuyasha was there with her. "Kagome?" he asked again.

"What?!" she yelled at him—her face livid with anger.

Now that was not the kind of reaction he thought she would have. Maybe a little upset, but full blown anger? This woman was fire and if he didn't handle her gingerly he was quite sure that he would get burned.

"Don't be too angry at him. It was last minute," he added softly. He was soon horrified to see that her anger had quickly morphed into tears. Tiny dabs of water started to pool at the corners of her eyes.

"Oi wench! Don't do that!" he cried out as he tried to wipe her tears away with his thumbs, which were unfortunately still enclosed in leather gloves. If there was one thing that drove him crazy it was a woman crying. He couldn't stomach it. After his mother had died, screaming and crying for mercy—he had developed an unnatural fear of a woman's tears. It reminded him of when she had died. It reminded him of how helpless he was when she had needed someone to protect her. Tears always made him feel pathetic. "Crying's not going to help make this evening better. Just forget about 'Ash' for tonight and let me take you out."

Kagome was startled when she heard his voice. "Go out with you? Uh, I don't know Inuyasha." She stopped to finish dabbing her eyes with a tissue she had found. She wiped under her eyelids in an attempt to clear away any makeup that might have been smeared.

"Here, let me do that," commanded Inuyasha as he took off one glove which unfortunately showed off one clawed hand. He used the pads of his fingers to wipe away any excess moisture or makeup. "There good as new," he added while looking up at her puffy eyes.

"Just take me home, Inuyasha," said Kagome as she stood in front of him and clutched her purse to her side. "I really don't feel like going out tonight."

All of the sudden Inuyasha was flustered. His plans were starting to fall apart. "But, but Ash wanted me to take you out. He feels bad. Let me fill his shoes for one night."

Kagome looked straight at him with a sad smile. "That's very nice of you Inuyasha. But it's just not right. I'm dating 'Ash'."

Inuyasha breathed in deeply. This was getting difficult. He was going to have to use his secret weapon. "He asked me to take care of you tonight and that's what I'm going to do. I'm not going to break my promise to my cousin. Besides," he said pausing, "I remember Kagome. I remember when we were kids."

The dumbfounded expression on Kagome's face was priceless. One minute she was clutching her purse and had tears in her eyes. The next moment her startled expression quickly changed to surprise and then to amazement.

"You remember? You remember us when we were kids?"

"Yeah, I seem to recall a little freckle faced girl at the Sunset Shrine," added Inuyasha playfully as he gently flicked at her nose.

"What all do you remember?" asked Kagome in astonishment. "I thought that you forgot everything."

"Well, I'll tell you if you go out with me tonight," added Inuyasha. "Come on. Ash wanted me to take you out."

Kagome looked up at him in wide-eyed wonder and then cocked her head to the side as if in thought. She spoke very slowly. "I guess if it is OK with Ash, then we could just go to dinner. Not as a date or anything. Just a dinner between old acquaintances."

"A dinner between childhood friends," added Inuyasha.

She looked back up at him quizzically. "Sure, old childhood friends," she amended as they walked out the door together.

* * *

Inuyasha smiled as he helped Kagome get out of his father's red Mustang convertible. She looked absolutely amazing as one long creamy leg peeked out from the slit in her long black dress. He threw his baseball cap, leather jacket and gloves in the car before he tossed his car keys to the valet and then took her hand. Kagome was surprised to see what he was wearing formal clothing under his 'disguise'. He was wearing navy slacks, a black leather belt with silver buckles, and a crisp white dress shirt. His fuzzy white ears twitched in annoyance after being hidden for so long under a confining baseball hat. He paused briefly to grab a fitted navy jacket out of the back seat that had silver trim at the cuffs. Inuyasha shrugged into the jacket and quickly brushed back his silver hair with his fingers.

He breathed in deeply to let Kagome's aroma waft over him, blanketing his senses. This was what he had been wanting; this was what he had been waiting for. Unlike the times he was with her as 'Ash'--now he could fully appreciate her. She was like a fine wine and only now did he have the senses to truly enjoy her fully. He could only grin. Now if only he could touch her as well. He wanted to experience Kagome with all of his demonic senses.

"What is this place?" she asked as she looked over the ornate Japanese building behind her and the sweeping view of Hollywood at night below them. "This place looks like a Japanese Palace."

Inuyasha grinned as he brought her up beside him and led her to the front entrance. "This is the Yamashiro restaurant. It was originally built in 1914 as an exact replica of a Japanese palace in Kyoto. My mom and dad used to take me here all the time when I was a kid. I loved this place." He moved his hand to the small of her back and for a brief moment his hand rested against her bare back. Her skin was so warm and silky to the touch. He couldn't help but to pause and breathe in her scent again as his nose lingered near her hair. His hands itched to touch more of her body. 'Damn, it's going to be hard to keep from touching her,' he thought.

Kagome turned to look at him with a curious expression as he smirked back at her. "This way," he gestured to the Japanese mansion ahead of them with a curving roof of blue tile and black lacquer wood. Kagome patted a concrete Asian dog affectionately on the head before they entered, which only made Inuyasha smile more broadly.

Inuyasha greeted the elderly maître de. "Reservations for Tashio, Inuyasha," he said.

The Japanese man in black and white dress at the small podium nodded in acknowledgment. "It has been a while. How is your father?" asked the older man.

"As well as to be expected I suppose," added Inuyasha as he followed the elderly gentleman into the building with Kagome on his arm. Kagome looked all around her as they were led to an open-sky inner courtyard with a koi pond and a Japanese garden. An elderly woman dressed in a formal white, yellow and black patterned kimono sat in the center of a balcony playing a shamisen (Japanese three stringed guitar). The subtle plucking of the Asian guitar music wavered in the room with its' simple melody.

The maître de stopped at a table with white tablecloth, bamboo chairs and a small Japanese lantern. "You brought a lovely woman, Inuyasha," said the man as he handed them each a menu.

"Yes, she is," murmured Inuyasha as topaz orbs met chocolate pools. She blushed a beautiful shade of pink as she took the menu and started to look over it. Kagome brushed a stray wisp of ebony hair behind her ear as Inuyasha studied her silently. He couldn't help but to think of nibbling that same ear and planting kisses down her long throat.

"Your waiter will be with you shortly," added the maître de before giving Inuyasha a knowing smile and returning to the front podium. The words brought Inuyasha out of his daze as he looked away from Kagome.

"I guess you come here fairly often," mentioned Kagome as she peered at the menu and avoided looking at him as she spoke.

Inuyasha swept a hand through his silver hair. "Yeah, but not nearly as much as I did as a kid. It was my mom's favorite restaurant to visit."

"And why did you stop coming here as much?"

He stopped momentarily and then continued. "After she died, my dad stopped taking us here. It's too bad. She loved this place and so did I." Inuyasha turned to point to the inner courtyard. "You see that koi pond there?" he asked.

"Yes," murmured Kagome as she nodded.

"I loved running around the koi pond when I was a kid. Kenji, that's the host you just met…I drove him crazy. I'd jump in the koi pond and I even managed to capture a fish once or twice," Inuyasha chuckled to himself.

"So were you always a mischievous little boy?"

"Still am," he replied.

"I don't think that's a good thing," added Kagome as she peered at her menu again.

"Well, I think it is," he added while smirking at her.

Kagome sighed. "What do you recommend that I get?"

"Hummm," Inuyasha paused. "The 'Darth Vader roll' is pretty good."

"You're kidding me? A Darth Vader roll?" she asked.

"Yeah. It's a traditional sushi roll, but it just has black rice instead of white rice. There's also the Kobe beef steak."

"They have Kobe beef here? That stuff is legendary. I hear they actually massage the cows their entire lives and feed them nothing but the choicest grains and sake."

"Yeah, good stuff," murmured Inuyasha. "It actually melts in your mouth. I think that's what I'll be getting."

"OK, then I'll have the 'Darth Vader' roll just to spite you," giggled Kagome.

Inuyasha waved to a waiter, who arrived at the table. "I'll have the Kobe beef steak, medium-rare and she'll be having the 'Darth Vader roll'."

"Anything to drink?" asked the waiter.

"Asahi beer for us both," added Inuyasha as the waiter only nodded and took their menus away.

"What do you think you're doing ordering beer for us? I know that we're both underage," hissed Kagome under her breath.

Inuyasha looked at her with his amber eyes and smiled nonchalantly. "Oh, they know me here. If I got out of hand they'd call my dad. Don't worry about it. One little beer isn't going to effect you too much is it, Kagome?" he asked.

* * *

Three beers later and Kagome was pleasantly buzzed. Inuyasha was glad for the beer. Before she had started to drink she was on the edge and seemed troubled. But a little alcohol made her smile more, relaxed her and seemed to squelch her inhibitions. Alcohol had very little effect on him, so he paused after taking another draught of beer to look at Kagome again. Her pretty little face was flushed pink and he was happy to note that the flush extended down to the black fabric that was covering her breasts. Fantastic images of what it would be like to suckle on her breasts filtered through his mind before he averted his eyes.

"So Inuyasha," she drawled. "You said you'd tell me."

"Tell you what?" asked Inuyasha oblivious to what her question meant.

"All that you remember," added Kagome as if that should be completely obvious.

He smirked at her and took her hand. She was so relaxed that she didn't seem to notice. She was just peering deeply into his golden eyes. "I remember a little freckle faced girl in overalls who used to meet me at the Goshinboku tree."

Kagome toyed with her beer glass, using her finger to trace the sides of the glass. "You used to show up every weekend with your mom. You promised to keep on showing up. Then all of the sudden you never came by again. What happened?"

Inuyasha swallowed and took a large gulp of his own beer before he answered her. "My mom died Kagome. She was the one who took me there every week."

Kagome was momentarily taken aback. "Oh god Inuyasha. I'm so sorry. I didn't know. I just thought you didn't want to see me anymore."

"I just couldn't go back there anymore Kagome. Your shrine reminded me of her and I didn't want to be reminded that my mom was no longer with me."

Kagome put her hand on top of Inuyasha's hand that was fisted on the table.

"I understand. After my dad died in a plane crash--I couldn't even stand to see a model airplane. Everything seemed to remind me of my dad. I guess I can understand why you didn't want to come around to see me anymore." Kagome turned her eyes away from Inuyasha and drew her hand back.

Inuyasha looked back up at the girl across from him that was staring pensively at her beer glass and the froth it contained.

"You know what my best memory was of the shrine?" asked Inuyasha as he peeked his eyes back at her.

"No what?" she asked with genuine curiosity—her eyes looking at him again.

"That a certain little girl with black hair kissed me right here," said Inuyasha as he pointed to his cheek.

Kagome blushed as she looked away from him. "But, you didn't seem to want me to kiss you."

"Yes, I know," added Inuyasha. "Come on Kagome. I was a little kid. Girls had cooties back then! It's still one of my favorite memories. The thing was," added Inuyasha, "is I never found out that little girl's name and I lost track of her. You can imagine my surprise when Ash told me that you lived at the Sunset Shrine in 'Little Tokyo'."

"So that is how you remembered," said Kagome in realization.

"Yes, it took my cousin and him visiting your shrine for me to realize who you were. Can we still be friends, Kagome?" 'And maybe something more?' he thought to himself.

Kagome turned her warm eyes to look at him again. "Friends," she murmured and then she put out her hand to shake his.

Inuyasha's warm golden eyes were sparkling with mischief. He leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek instead.

Suddenly Kagome blanched and put her hand on her cheek where he had just kissed her. "What was that for?" she asked.

"Feh. I felt like it," he said with a big grin.

Kagome leaned back in her chair and stammered, "You can't just do that Inuyasha."

He just grinned at her again. "So you can do it to me, but I can't kiss you back?" he asked with feigned innocence.

"I was a little girl. We're older. It's different now," she added.

Inuyasha moved his hand to cup her face his golden eyes staring directly into her warm umber ones. "No. There's no difference."

Kagome looked up at him with troubled eyes. "You just don't see do you?" she asked. "Everything has changed. If you had talked to me even a few months back…," she said as her voice trailed off.

"What do you mean?" asked Inuyasha.

Kagome hiccupped and then turned her cool eyes to look away from him. She started to stare at her empty beer glass again--her fingers running across the rim of the glass. Her eyes were unfocused, but had a dreamy look to them. He had seen that look before. Sometimes when he was Ash and they were sitting together he would see her looking up at him dreamily, as if she was in another world. "I…I fell in love, with your cousin," she replied.

Inuyasha almost stuttered. She had never told him that. Love had never even been mentioned. What was that fool miko talking about? "You can't mean it Kagome. He never said that you…"

Kagome looked back at him, her misty-eyed look quickly changing into annoyance. "No, I haven't told him. But, that's how I feel." She breathed in deeply and sighed. "I can't change my feelings. It's like asking a river to reverse its' direction. I'm in love with him, Inuyasha. He can be a jerk sometimes…" she paused. "Like standing me up this evening. But I love him nonetheless." She sighed again and slouched into her chair. The alcohol seemed to relax her to the point where she was almost falling asleep.

She wasn't looking at him for once and Inuyasha was glad. She had just told him that she loved him and she had no idea that the man she loved was right in front of her. His jaw hung loosely and he attempted to close his mouth.

"You, you really love him?" he asked in surprise.

"Umm..hummm," she answered lazily drawing a pattern on her glass with her finger.

He gazed at her in wonder and thought about her words. She was a little drunk, but sincere. Perhaps even more sincere than if she had been sober. All the girls that had wanted him had wanted the star player for the UCLA demonic team. They had never cared for him before he had become famous. And now the girl in front of him wanted 'Ash', the man with no name, the man who wasn't even famous, the man who wasn't a nationally recognized star college sports player. Somewhere deep inside he felt a twinge of jealously of all things against himself. Then he shrugged off the feelings. The love she felt, it was for him, wasn't it? He just needed to show her that 'Ash' and 'Inuyasha' were the same person. She would eventually come around. Wouldn't she?

"I'll drive you home Kagome," answered Inuyasha as he stood up and then went to her chair. He pulled her chair back and helped her to her feet.

"Oohhh," she murmured before her form started to stumble and Inuyasha slid up beside her to help her walk out of the restaurant.

"She loves me," was all he could think. "Kagome loves me…"

* * *

_**As always, thank you Theleb K'aarna for being my beta for this chapter!**_

_**Please read and review. It helps inspire me to write more chapters!**_

* * *

_**Author's Notes:**_

_#1: 'Yamashiro' (Mountain Palace) is a real Japanese restaurant that is situated in the Hollywood hills. You can do a Google search for "Yamashiro Hollywood" to see what the restaurant looks like. Oh and you can really order a 'Darth Vader roll' there._

_#2: My Mom's first car was a 1968 blue Mustang and I always loved that car. What was my first car you ask? A Ford Pinto! Gah! There's no justice in this world! I'm telling ya'._

_#3: I listened to classical Spanish guitar music while writing this chapter._

_#4: I actually had a Kobe beef steak while I was in Kobe, Japan. They massage the cow for its entire life, feed it sake and the best grains. I had a steak the size of a deck of cards that was 100 USD. The meat actually melted in my mouth. It was so good and I don't even like steak._

* * *

_**Review Responses:**_

_TiffanyM: Gosh, I almost didn't update today because I'm going wine tasting on Sat. I usually update in weekends, but the day might vary. _

_Saikoubi-Megami: Thanks so much. I'm glad that my story kept you company._

_Diamond369: So what did you think about the 'date'? _


	17. Chapter 17: Interlude Over the Weekend

**Chapter 17: Interlude Over the Weekend**

A shiny red convertible Mustang pulled up to the steps of the Sunset shrine late on a Saturday night. In the front seat of the car the driver looked perplexed, his fuzzy white ears twitching left and right as he stared down at the girl who was asleep beside him. Kagome's hair originally was in a messy bun, but now her long ebony tresses were cascading over her shoulder and onto the seat beside her. Dark feathery lashes covered her eyelids in shadows, her cheeks were burnished red from drinking and her rose colored lips were shiny in the dim light.

Inuyasha sighed as he ran his hand through his long silver hair and resisted the urge to do the same thing with Kagome's hair. She was so peaceful, lying there beside him, breathing in gently and evenly, a small smile on her parted lips that seemed to convey that everything was right in her world.

"Oi. Kagome!" he muttered. He looked down at the woman beside him again and his heart seemed to warm as he looked at her gentle sleeping face. But he steeled his nerves again and said her name again, this time in a much louder voice. "Kagome!" he yelled.

Kagome only muttered next to him, her eyes still closed and now her lips twisted in annoyance. "Need…to…sleep…," she chided him as she emphasized her words by nuzzling in even closer to him in his front seat. Inuyasha soon felt her arm propped up behind his back and her head and long locks of ebony hair were resting right up against his lap. "Better…," she murmured happily.

Inuyasha was trying to be annoyed with her. Annoyance would cause him to get rid of the girl quickly and then he could be on his way, back in his apartment, sleeping in his own bed, next to that smelly wolf and…he swallowed…without Kagome around. His previous annoyance quickly left him and his hand drifted down to her hair. It felt wonderful to stroke her thick tresses with his clawed hand. His hand lingered over the silky softness before tracing her cheek and then her lips. Red rosebud lips called to him and before he knew it his face was inches away from hers. With featherlike softness his lips brushed up gently to hers. She sighed happily against him as her lips parted with an "Oh" and his tongue found a haven within her mouth. He didn't want to wake her, so it wasn't a deep or penetrating kiss. It was light and gentle. All too soon he was done and he pulled away to look again at the angel sleeping beside him in her silky black dress that clung so deliciously to her curves. "Ash," she murmured again happily.

Her words were like icy melt water being thrown on his face. He was now annoyed! He quickly moved to unbuckle both himself and her. Soon he was outside of his car and had managed to pull Kagome out of his car, carrying her bridal style up the long steep steps in front of her house. He quickly decided that jumping would be quicker and with two quick bounds he was right at the front door of the Higurashi household. Inuyasha dropped one arm, which allowed Kagome's legs to drop to the ground while his other arm still held her by her waist, propping her up.

"Oi. Wench," he yammered in annoyance. "You need to stand up on your own. Wake up!"

Kagome turned briefly to look at him with a silly smile plastered on her face before her eyes rolled shut and then her body fell against his. She was unconscious next to him and was refusing to wake up. Her lithe body was boneless against him. If he thought about it he might have enjoyed the feeling of her soft curves pressed up so intimately against his harder planes. However, he was still a little upset for her saying Ash's name when he kissed her. So she was a little drunk, she should still know that it was Inuyasha who was taking her out on a date, not Ash.

'Now what do I do?' he thought to himself. 'It's not as if I can just ring the doorbell and drop off a drunken Kagome. They would never let me see her again.' He ruminated silently to himself trying several possibilities over in his mind until the idea came upon him to secretly stash Kagome inside of her room without her family being aware. Inuyasha picked up Kagome again, bridal style as he surveyed the second story of her house. A light was on in a room which had Kagome's brother within it on a computer, then there was a dark room and then another room with a light on it with a matronly woman walking within it. The woman looked like an older version of Kagome, the same height, but with shorter hair and more mature features. 'That must be her Mom,' he thought. 'Perhaps the room with no light on is Kagome's room.'

Gently Inuyasha knelt down to prop up Kagome against her home and then he leapt up to the roof. Sliding his body down the roof his head hung over the side of the roof to dangle upside down to look into the dark room. His eyes adjusted to the dim light and he was able to make out a bed with a pink comforter, a study desk with music and math books and a chair that had a lacy red bra dangling on it. 'Gotta be Kagome's room,' he thought triumphantly. He leaned further down to pull her window open and when he was satisfied with his exploit he jumped back down to pick up his girl. With Kagome again in his arms bridal style he leapt up effortlessly into her room all in one bound. He then walked over as silently as he could to her bed in order to place her down onto the pink bedcovers. Kagome quickly curled up into a ball, tucking her legs up underneath her.

Inuyasha paused to look at her in the dim shadows. Creamy long legs erupted from under the silky black dress that was now bunched up at her waist. If she could just move a little more he might have been able to see more than just her upper thighs. He licked his lips as he looked over the sleeping girl and was about to walk over to her when he heard a knock at her door.

"Kagome dear. Is that you?" asked an older woman's voice from the other side of the door.

In a panic Inuyasha quickly plastered himself against the wall on the side of the door that would open. He breathed in deeply and tried to stay silent as the door gently pushed open and golden light diffused into the darkened room. A long shadow filled the center of the light as a petit middle-aged woman walked into Kagome's room.

"Why is your window open?" she asked as she walked to close the offending window. Then she turned to see Kagome sleeping on her bed. "I never even heard you come in," she said to Kagome as she bent over and tucked the pink comforter around Kagome's sleeping form. Inuyasha was sad to see that a fluffy pink comforter now covered her long legs.

Kagome's mother then kissed Kagome sweetly on her forehead before walking back out the door and shutting it silently behind her.

Inuyasha started to breath again. 'That was too close,' he thought. But luckily now that her mother knew where Kagome was, she probably wouldn't check back in on her until the morning. That would give him a little more time with Kagome and besides, he probably shouldn't re-open the window until he was sure that everyone at the shrine was asleep. He flicked his ears to listen to the sounds around him. Souta was yelling at his computer and the sounds of warfare erupted from his PC, he could still hear Kagome's mother's footsteps walking downstairs and he could also pick up some very loud snoring that was coming from the far end of the hall. 'That must be her grandfather,' he thought.

He turned to look at Kagome again. She was sleeping peacefully and soundly. Neither her mother's entrance nor her leap with him into her second story room had roused her. She must sleep like a rock he mused. Her ebony locks hair were arrayed messily around her head, her cheeks were rosy and her lips looked soft. He sniffed. Her scent called to him, wrapped around him and beckoned him to be close to her.

He wasn't even mindful of what he was doing until he felt his form curve up behind hers on the bed to hold her close to him. A clawed hand wrapped around her waist to draw in her warmth. She only sighed and snuggled in closer, seeming to enjoy the contact. Instantly, his gut clenched and his body reacted to her as heat started to pool in his lower abdomen. He shifted uncomfortably in an attempt to adjust himself. Kagome let out another soft sigh and he really thought this was going to be the end of him.

It was torture to be so close to her, but he really couldn't stay away if he wanted to. He nuzzled his nose into her hair to breathe in her scent deeply. He smelled the scent of strawberry shampoo, the unmistakable scent of her own salty sweat that lingered on her body in trace amounts and the sweet smell of jasmine and cherry blossoms that followed her wherever she went. His hands cradled the warmth of her form and he felt oddly at home. It was as if this was where he was supposed to be. He wasn't supposed to be sleeping in his bed at his smelly apartment, sharing a room with an even smellier wolf. No, just laying here next to Kagome was where he should be. He sighed with contentment with Kagome in his arms.

He thought about what he loved about Kagome. He loved her gentle scent, he loved the way her eyes sparkled, he loved the sound of her laughter, he loved to gaze at her, he loved to hear her sing, he loved the way her body was pressed in close to his, he loved that even thinking about her when she wasn't there warmed him inside. He…he loved her. All of her… When did that happen?

His breathing slowly became more ragged as he considered his new revelation. How did she get under his skin, how had he even fallen in love with this human wench? This wench who constantly had him worried, who was always on his thoughts, who he wanted to possess heart and soul--the wench who really didn't even know who he truly was. That last thought depressed him, but he tried to make it bittersweet by running his clawed hand back through her hair again. Running his hand through her silky hair released more of her scent and it wrapped around him to envelope him like a warm soft blanket. He didn't really intend to let down his guard and fall asleep, but he was too content, too warm, and too happy to hold her in his arms.

All too soon filtered white-yellow beams crept in past his consciousness calling to him. He tried to fight the wakefulness at first, but there was something in the back of his mind that was akin to panic. Something was telling him to wake up and wake up quickly, but he brushed those thoughts aside. It was so nice to lie here with her warmth nestled up close to him, where she belonged.

"She?" he thought as he opened one amber colored eye to see raven haired locks interspersed with silver hair spilling down across the pillow and pink comforter.

Panic crept into his waking mind as adrenaline surged through his brain. Flight or fight screamed into the muddled part of his mind and he hastily pulled away from the warmth and scent that he had been so happily entranced by. He gulped as he stared down at Kagome. Moist rosy lips curved gently into a smile, closed eyelids looked peaceful with her dark lashes fluttering against her burnished cheeks.

'Fluttering? Eyelashes?' he thought. 'Oh Shit!'

Quicker than he ever thought possible, Kagome's window was shoved open and he had leapt out her window to land far away at her Torii gates near the steps of her shrine. He didn't even pause as he dashed into his car and quickly started the engine to pull away onto the streets of 'Little Tokyo' on a Sunday morning.

* * *

Inuyasha groaned as he was being interrogated by his brother and his coach. This was not the way he wanted to be spending his Sunday afternoon.

"Tell me," said Sesshomaru "what is Miroku like?"

"Why do you want to hear about him?" asked Inuyasha bombastically. He was doing his best to answer every question with another question and he knew that it was trying his brother's patience as well as his coaches. But he really did not feel like cooperating, especially if it meant that they might try to do something to Kagome.

Sesshomaru growled and Inuyasha was quite sure that his elder brother was about to hit him.

"Let me," said the calmer and more composed Myoga. "Now, Inuyasha. You know that we need this information from you. Please just answer our questions directly. Just tell us the first things that come to mind when we ask you these questions."

"Alright," answered Inuyasha dubiously.

"So again, what do you know about Miroku the monk?"

Inuyasha folded his arms out in front of him since he was in a petulant mood. "He's a letch. He's smart, but a complete letch. He can't seem to keep his hands off of women." Inuyasha chuckled to himself. "But his girlfriend Sango seems to be keeping him in check, he actually seems to like her and seems to be curbing his wandering hands."

"Sango?" asked Myoga in surprise. "The demon slayer is his girlfriend?"

"Um, yeah...," responded Inuyasha. "Doesn't everyone know that?"

"No," intoned Sesshomaru. "Is this something we can work with Coach Myoga?"

Myoga paced back and forth in the coach's small office at UCLA. He was so short that he might be mistaken for a dwarf as his little legs wobbled side to side as he walked. "Yes, this might be exactly what we are looking for," answered Myoga thoughtfully with his hand to his chin.

"Perhaps we can hire an actress?" asked Sesshomaru with an arched eyebrow.

"Sesshomaru! Great thinking," responded Myoga with enthusiasm.

"What?" asked Inuyasha dryly as he was completely confused by the current turn of the conversation.

"Yes," muttered Myoga as he continued. "Before our last game versus USC at the Rose Bowl we'll have a young actress accost the monk before the game."

"Preferably with the demon slayer in attendance," added Sesshomaru.

Myoga started to laugh. "Oh yes, and let's hire a girl who has a baby as well. Preferably a baby with black hair!" Myoga started to laugh gutturally in hysteretics.

"What?" asked Inuyasha again as blood started to slowly drain from his face. "Are you saying you want some bimbo to show up and say that Miroku is a dad?"

"Yes!" laughed Myoga as he wiped tears away from his eyes. "That should really throw off the demon slayer and the monk enough to keep them from fighting too effectively during our last game this season."

"But that's so low!" exclaimed Inuyasha his eyes widened in shock.

"Oh? What's lower?" asked Sesshomaru in a monotone voice that seemingly begot no judgment. "Having an actress show up saying that Miroku is the father of her child or you having sex with Kagome and then flashing her panties on nationwide TV before the game?"

Inuyasha's face reddened and he stiffened in his chair.

"Oh!" exclaimed Myoga. "This is good. Have you done the deed yet, my boy?" he said while jabbing him in the ribs. "If you do then every member of their team will be disoriented before the game even begins!"

"I…No!" yelled Inuyasha as he stood up and looked at Myoga and Sesshomaru with fury in his eyes. Then he turned and walked out of his coach's office, his fists clenched tightly to his side.

"What's wrong with your brother?" asked Myoga.

"He's just being his usual baka self," answered Sesshomaru as his eyes narrowed at the closing of the door as Inuyasha stormed out of the room.

* * *

_**As always, thank you Theleb K'aarna and blackdeathmessenger for being my betas for this chapter!**_

_**All reviewers have been sent private e-mails.**_

_**Please read and review. It helps inspire me to write more chapters!**_

* * *

_**Author's Notes:**_

_#1: I want to mention that I will try to update every Saturday, but I might not be able to do so every week since my work is getting very busy now that the state budget has finally passed._

_#2: I already wrote most of Chapter 19 over a month ago. There's some really good stuff happening in that chapter. Hee hee…_

_#3: I know that Nov. 30__th__ (the day of the concert is actually Sunday in 2008). I guess I'll just pretend this happened in 2007._

* * *

_**Next Chapter:**__ USC faces the Cal Bears and someone is going to get hurt…_


	18. Chapter 18: Fighting the Bears

**Chapter 18: Fighting the Bears**

Inuyasha gulped as he heard the roar of the fans in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Today was the day that USC's Holy Shikon Team would face off against the demonic team of the 'Cal' Bears. ('Cal' was a college in Northern California that was founded by a bear youkai, so the campus had taken on a bear as a mascot.) His ears flicked to the right and left as he absorbed the intense yells and screams that permeated the stadium. Usually the roars meant nothing to him. When he was playing he always managed to tune out the yelling so that he could focus on the game. However, today he wasn't participating—he was only a bystander watching Kagome fight.

The entire idea knotted his stomach and made him feel queasy. Kagome would be out there fighting against demons and she 'could' get hurt. The last time he had faced her in battle he had even injured her. What would thunder demons like Hiten and Maten do to her? He had to fight his basest instincts that were demanding that he run to the playing field and protect Kagome from anyone who tried to attack her. He griped the plastic seat underneath him, his claws scrapping against plastic and concrete.

"Hey man! Why are you so uptight?" asked Koga who was sitting next to him.

Inuyasha blanched as he pulled his claws back up to his face as if in puzzlement.

"Oh, I get it!" exclaimed Koga with a laugh as he smacked Inuyasha on the back.

"Get what?" asked Inuyasha as he tried to hold back his anger and frustration.

"You want to be out there playing. Don't you?" declared Koga with a grin on his face.

'Well, that's true,' supposed Inuyasha. He did want to be out there, if only to protect Kagome. He was going to go nuts seeing her out there defenseless. "Yes, I want to be out there fighting," acceded Inuyasha as he looked back over the field.

Sesshomaru grunted on the other side of Inuyasha. "Patience little brother. In time we _will_ pay them back for our last defeat." His amber eyes of ice scanned the field.

The Class 'A' team from UCLA was here to help cheer on the 'Cal' Bears, so they were sitting on the side of the stadium where the fans wore blue and gold colors. Inuyasha even noticed a bald college teen that had his entire head painted in his school's colors. One side of his face was a bright blue and the other side of his face was a burnished gold. "Go Bears!" the bald student yelled. He quickly heard another voice yell, "Crash and burn Shikon!"

Inuyasha looked over to his left, they were sitting right above the sidelines where the demonic Cal Bears team sat. He noticed the players milling about, drinking Gatorade and discussing tactics before the match. Two players caught his attention as he studied them from the stands. Hiten and Maten, the Thunder brothers, were leaning up close to each other discussing something. The two brothers were fraternal twins, but they were also complete opposites. Hiten was lean, handsome with cool sapphire eyes that held no warmth and long black hair that was tied into a tight braid. Maten was wide, squat, nearly bald and so ugly that he looked more like a large albino toad than a man. Hiten started to laugh and this caught Inuyasha by surprise because that thunder brother never laughed. He was as much of an iceman as Inuyasha's brother, Sesshomaru and if Sesshomaru laughed, it was time to cringe in fear.

Inuyasha's white triangular ears swiveled in the direction of the thunder brothers in an attempt to pick up on what they were talking about. He knew the laughter he was hearing was not about humor, it had to be about someone getting hurt and of course, Kagome would be facing them soon. He needed to find out what it was they were 'discussing'.

"You didn't!" exclaimed Maten with a look of shock that swarmed over his toad-like face.

Hiten grinned after his coarse laughter started to fade. He leaned in closer to Maten in an attempt to keep his voice as low as possible. "Our friend put 'Rohypnol' in her Gatorade," said Hiten slyly. "If she drinks enough of it she'll pass out while fighting."

Maten's large toad-like mouth widened and then opened revealing layers of sharp teeth. Inuyasha supposed that he was smiling. "One down…"

"Two more to go," Hiten added with a smirk.

Inuyasha's face drained of color and his blood started pumping as if he was the one who was about to fight. "No…," whispered Inuyasha as his eyes scanned the opposite side of the field to look for Kagome. Soon his eyes settled on the young miko with black hair gathered in a long ponytail, wearing a white kosode and red hakama pants. She was sitting on a bench next to Sango and Miroku, who were also dressed up in their fighting gear. Sango was in her black slayer's uniform and Miroku was wearing his black and purple monk robes. Unfortunately for Inuyasha he noticed that each one of them also had a cup near them or in their hands. He had no way of knowing which female from their team was being drugged. Sadly, it was a 50/50 chance that Kagome was the victim.

Inuyasha rose out of his seat in a panic; he needed to warn Kagome before the game started. Sesshomaru quickly put out an arm that grabbed Inuyasha on the shoulder before he shoved him back down.

"It's best to be sitting before a game, little brother," said Sesshomaru dryly.

"You don't understand I need to…," spurted out Inuyasha as he tried to get back up again.

Before Inuyasha could finish his speech the crowd started to roar and the electronic billboards lit up. A man's voice echoed throughout the stadium.

"Now for you viewing enjoyment. The final match of the day between USC's Holy Shikon team and Cal Berkeley's Fighting Bears!"

The crowd hooted and Inuyasha could hear even more screams and taunts from his side. "Get those ningen!" "Take 'em down Hiten!" "USC Sucks!" "Go demons!"

The announcer continued to introduce each of the team members as the players started to take the stage. His heart beating wildly, Inuyasha was able to avoid his brother's claws (which had tried to restrain him once more) and ran from his seat. He knew that he couldn't run across the field, but he sped with all of his heart to the other side of the coliseum hoping to get in contact with Kagome and warn her. He could hear the announcer echoing in the back of his mind, he heard the roar of the crowd dimly as he leapt over seats and managed to only bump into a few people before finally making it over to USC's side and where Kagome had sat at the sidelines.

By the time he had arrived to the seats above where Kagome had once sat he noticed only emptiness. The bleachers were mostly deserted except for Coach Kaede and a few other team members who were on the lesser teams. Down near the end of the bleachers where Kagome had been sitting he noticed three cups of Gatorade that had been abandoned. Kagome was on the field and the game had already commenced.

In a daze he looked up at the electronic screen and saw that the fighting had already started. He clenched his hands so hard that his claws drew blood. He forgot how to breathe.

There before him was Kagome and she was fighting a demon he had never seen before. He had been too busy running during the announcements to hear the demon's name, but the still figure didn't seem too threatening as he stood on the green grass. The demon was wearing feudal style samurai armor and had long flowing black hair that was held back by a leather headband. Inuyasha almost breathed out a sigh of relief, she wasn't fighting the thunder brothers, perhaps they had drugged Sango instead.

However, Sango didn't look drugged as she lifted the Hiraikotsu high above her head as she flew on her demon cat's back. With a yell the giant bone boomerang swished through the air whizzing toward Hiten. The thunder brother seemed to float on the air, but Inuyasha noticed the tiny wheels that were spinning under each of his feet. Whoosh. The Hiraikotsu sang past his feet separating the demon from his floating wheels. Hiten started a long fall towards the ground.

Inuyasha could only grin as his fangs crept past and over his lips. 'The bastard deserved this,' he thought as he saw the demon plummet about five meters before hitting the ground hard. A moment of peace settled in his throat before he turned his attention back to Kagome. She had her arrow primed and ready in her bow. But Inuyasha could see that something was wrong. She seemed to teeter and waver. Her normally steady arm couldn't hold the arrow straight within the bow string as her hands trembled like she had Parkinson's disease. The demon in samurai armor in front of her only grinned wickedly as he started to walk forward, seemingly without any care as to what her purification arrows could do to him.

Pling. Schush. Kagome's arrow flew loose from her bow, but it flew wildly and arched high into the air away from the demon man in front of her. Inuyasha watched in horror as he saw her entire body sway and the demon stalked toward her as if she was his prey rather than a feared competitor.

Kagome's face flushed and her bow clattered nosily to her side as the demon flexed his muscles and his arm reshaped and reformed. Instead of a human-like arm his appendage flexed like a snake and writhed forth--striking Kagome across her side. He watched in horror as the coppery scent of her blood wafted to his senses and her body, frail like glass, collapsed to the ground.

"No! Kagome!" he yelled as he bounded off the railway next to the stadium seats and landed upon the USC sidelines. He was about to run and leap toward Kagome's fallen body when he heard a familiar voice scream out to him. It was the voice of Coach Kaede, "Inuyasha stop!" was all he heard before he crashed into a pink barrier. The purity and holiness of the barrier erupted up against his body, charging him with an energy wholly opposite of his demonic blood. He reeled in horror as his own body rebelled against him. He heard some screaming and there were black dots in front of his eyes before his own body collapsed on the playing field. The last image that he saw before losing all consciousness was Kagome's still form, crumpled like paper on the grassy field while the looming figure of a morphing demon in samurai armor stood above her.

"Kagome…," he murmured before the blackness took him.

* * *

"Oh, what hit me?" groaned Inuyasha as he tried to block out the bright white light glaring from the ceiling.

"What is your problem little brother?" demanded Sesshomaru icily.

Inuyasha groaned and turned to face Myoga who was glaring at him as well.

"You just managed to get suspended from the next two games, Inuyasha," droned on coach Myoga.

Suddenly memories of Kagome's slumped form and the demon that attacked her jumped to the forefront of his mind. "Kagome!" Inuyasha sat upright and looked around frantically. "What happened to Kagome?"

Myoga sighed. "You have just been suspended from the next two games this season and all you ask about is a rival player on another team?"

"I repeat, what is wrong with you little brother?" growled Sesshomaru.

Inuyasha simply returned his brother's ice-cold glare and growled back even louder, his own fangs curving over his lips.

Myoga ran his hand through what was left of his wispy grey hair. "Sesshomaru, please leave us. I need to talk to Inuyasha alone."

Sesshomaru simply stood up straight, his face became an impassive mask before he murmured "half-breed" and walked proudly out of the room.

Inuyasha watched his diminutive coach who had just started to pace the floor beside him.

"You not only broke the rule of not interfering with another teams game, but you also managed to partially transform in front of Coach Kaede."

Inuyasha's eye's widened in horror. "Shit. Who saw? Did Kagome?"

Myoga continued. "Most of the players were already distracted or incapacitated when it happened. Luckily for you, Sesshomaru got to you quickly, threw his jacket over your head and pulled you away before people could get a good look at you. But now Coach Kaede might know that it was you who was spying on her team. If she finds out the truth, then I COULD lose everything. You're not going to spy on the USC team anymore, besides I think we have found out enough information already. We'll just follow through with our original plans."

Inuyasha gulped. "But what if I want to go to their team practices…"

With a look of exasperation Myoga looked at Inuyasha and started into a rant. "You just begged me to stop your spying on the USC team a few weeks ago. Now you want to spy again? Let's get a few things straight here Inuyasha. First, you are not to be seeing any of the USC players for any reason anymore. Your spying time has ended. Second, you have just been suspended for the next two games. If you screw up one more time—my hands will be tied; you'll be kicked off the team. The board isn't as forgiving as I am Inuyasha. They didn't even want you on the team to begin with. There's no more second chances.

Myoga's red face cooled into his normal olive tone as he took a deep breath and touched Inuyasha on the shoulder. He continued but with a firm but gentle tone, "My boy, you're one of my favorite team players. You have always tried so hard to prove yourself. You have always been giving me 150 percent. Now just follow the rules from now on and everything will be fine. And don't you dare interfere with anymore games. Got it?"

Inuyasha nodded mutely before turning and away from Myoga and heading out of the room. Despite everything he had been told and everything he had agreed to, he knew who he was going to need to visit next.

As he walked out of the LA Memorial Coliseum he felt like he was in a drugged haze. His red cell phone rang multiple times before went into Kagome's voicemail. He called her repeatedly with the same results. Now he was really starting to worry.

"Shit!" he exclaimed as he slammed his cell phone together and then shoved it in his leather jacket. 'If Kagome isn't answering her cell phone its got to be bad.'

He soon found his red and chrome motorcycle , strapped on his helmet and kick started the engine. The USC University Hospital was close by, Kagome had to be there. It was the closest hospital to the Coliseum and it also specialized in holy healing by mikos. Coach Kaede and Kagome would feel comfortable there.

It didn't take long for him to park his red and chrome Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle in the urgent care parking. Soon he had his motorcycle helmet in his hands and was bounding into the hospital. He ran quickly into the men's restroom and put on his ring before trying to ask questions about where Kagome was staying. He was visiting a hospital run by mikos and a demon like him would surely be unwelcome.

He was even more disheartened to find out that he was not welcome even in his human form. The receptionist at the front desk of urgent care couldn't care less about helping him find Kagome.

"Why can't I see her?" demanded Inuyasha.

The front desk receptionist looked up at him non-pulsed. Apparently he hadn't been the only person who had ever demanded access to a patient. "We are not allowed to give out patient information to anyone except for immediate relatives and you have told me you are not related to her."

"I'm her boyfriend!" stammered Inuyasha in disbelief as he nearly wrung out his own long black hair. "She was badly injured during the USC game. I need to see her!"

"You will need to contact one of her relatives if you wish to see her," added the short haired brunette receptionist as she rolled her eyes. "There is nothing more that I can do for you. Now please stand aside, there are other people waiting behind you."

With barely contained anger Inuyasha stepped aside and looked down at the silver ring on his finger. 'If I can't find out where she is from the hospital staff—then I'll just have to scent out Kagome,' he decided as he headed back to the men's restroom and managed to tear off the ring and stuff it in his pocket as he headed out.

He was met with stares, snickers and disbelief as he slowly crawled down the hall, his nose to the floor—trying his best to discern Kagome's scent from the myriad of scents that engulfed his senses. It took him several sweeps over the emergency room area before he caught the faint whiff of her blood and her faint scent gently floating through the air. Soon he had caught her trail like a bloodhound as he started to run through the maze-like hallways and into an elevator. After checking out every single floor that it could have possibly stopped at he finally found that floor number six had her scent as well. He was soon bounding down the hall, as he ran past a nurse's station when Kagome's scent filled his nostrils. She was close.

"I was so worried about you Kagome-chan," it was Sango speaking and Inuyasha could clearly hear her voice coming from the room almost directly in front of him.

Inuyasha exhaled in triumph before running back just as quickly down the hall to find the men's restroom to put his ring back on again. Once he had transformed for the last time that evening he ran back past the nurses who were looking at him strangely. "Didn't he just have silver hair?" a young nurse asked.

He murmured a quick, "Feh" before stopping before Kagome's door. "Kagome?" he inquired with worry as his head peaked in through the doorway.

Inuyasha looked within to see Kagome sitting on a medical bed with white sheets and a grey blanket around her. He was so intent on Kagome that he quickly moved past the many figures around her bed and almost pulled her into a bear hug before stopping when he noticed that her ribcage was heavily bandaged.

His fingers found a tendril of long black hair that he brushed gently behind her ear before looking into her chocolate colored orbs. "What happened Kagome? How bad are you hurt? Are you going to be OK?"

Kagome almost giggled before her arms wrapped themselves around her midriff and the bandages. "Kami. I forgot that I can't laugh with a broken rib," she said as she half sobbed and half giggled all at the same time.

"Oh Kagome don't…," murmured Inuyasha as he wiped the tears that were starting to form at the edges of her eyes. Then he kissed her forehead tenderly before he heard someone cough. He turned beet red as he turned around to see that his emotional display had been witnessed by a number of people.

The matronly woman that Inuyasha had seen walking into Kagome's room a week ago addressed him with warm tones. "You must be Ash," she said as she extended her hand. "I am Mrs. Higurashi, Kagome's Mom. Kagome and Souta have been telling me a lot about you."

"They have?" asked Inuyasha askance. Surreptitiously he turned to notice Souta's eyes beaming in abject hero worship and Kagome's eyes glancing at him with adoring warmth. It was the same look that had passed by her features when she had told him, while he was Inuyasha, that she loved Ash. A small gasp escaped his mouth as the affection from her eyes filled his entire being with warmth, his own heart pulsed strangely as he met Kagome's gaze before turning back to her Mom. He brought a hand behind his neck to scratch it and to distract him from his embarrassment. "Oi. I'm Ash. I uh…I was worried about Kagome…," he muttered under his breath.

Mrs. Higurashi smiled at him and Inuyasha suddenly knew where Kagome got her brilliant smile from. "We were all worried." Then she glanced at Coach Kaede. "Kaede Sensei. You were going to try one more healing treatment before you left?"

Inuyasha swallowed nervously as he looked at Coach Kaede who was eyeing him across the room. She looked at him directly before turning her gaze away from him and centering on Kagome. "I think one more treatment for today, child," she added as she walked up to Kagome.

Suddenly Inuyasha remembered why Kagome was hurt and the person who had done this to her. "Coach Kaede! Kagome! When I was on the field I heard that the other team had drugged her. They mentioned Rohypnol."

Kaede turned to look at Inuyasha, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "What exactly did you hear?"

"Before the match. Hiten was laughing about putting the drug in a girl's Gatorade from the opposing team. I didn't know which girl it was and I tried to run over to you guys to warn you, but the game had already started…"

"You're kidding!" exclaimed Sango as she looked at Kagome's face and then Miroku's.

Miroku only nodded. "You know that actually fits. Kagome's loss of motor control, the way she passed out on the field, the way she doesn't even seem to remember our the game…"

Coach Kaede raised a grey eyebrow. "You might be right Miroku." She then turned to acknowledge Inuyasha. "Thank you…Ash. We will make sure that Kagome is tested to see if any of the drug is in her system. In the meanwhile, I still need to help her bones to knit."

The older coach placed her hands around Kagome's bandaged stomach. The young miko winced at Kaede's touch, but then closed her eyes to will out the pain and concentrate.

A brilliant pink glow started to erupt from Coach Kaede's hands and Inuyasha couldn't help but to step backwards in a modicum of fear. Even though the purification power couldn't hurt him in his human form, he had been up against enough miko energy to react negatively whenever he encountered it.

Kaede seemed to smile briefly as the glow continued to expand, no doubt from the combined energies from both herself and Kagome. The pink light intensified and Inuyasha noticed that the crease in Kagome's forehead started to fade, as if the pain that was gripping her sides was lessening. Soon the glowing energy started to dissipate. Coach Kaede looked up with the sheen of sweat over her forehead and Kagome looked up at her with a happy smile.

"I am feeling better already Coach!" supplied Kagome.

"Now, now child. If we administer at least two of these treatments per day you should be ready to play again in two more weeks."

"No!" cried out Inuyasha. "She can't fight anymore. What if she gets hurt again?"

"Ash!" exclaimed Kagome in surprise. "What's gotten into you?"

"I uh…," Inuyasha looked down at his hands and wrung them. These were not his normal hands. There were no claws and only blunt fingernails. They made him feel so helpless. He looked back up at Kagome with a pleading look in his eyes and gulped. "When I saw you get hurt today, Kagome. I was so lost and worried. I don't ever want to see you get hurt again," he whispered.

Kagome placed one small hand against his cheek as her eyes glinted with both humor and sadness as she looked directly into Inuyasha's violet eyes. "I promised Coach Kaede, Miroku and Sango that I would play." Inuyasha looked down at his hands. "Besides," said Kagome as she brought his face back up to hers. "I would lose my scholarship and my mother is struggling to pay for my college as it is. Just trust me. I might still get hurt, that's to be expected. I accept it as a college sports player. I promise to give up sports when I am done with college. OK?"

"That's two more years!" Inuyasha whined. "Who knows what will happen? You're too fragile…" _'…too human…,' he thought._

Kagome looked gently into his eyes and shushed him like a child before placing a chaste kiss on his cheek. He frowned before touching her cheek. He felt her softness underneath him and was again reminded of how a human could be broken as easily as glass.

Unbidden he remembered his mother and the day she had died. The riots had started that day in south central Los Angeles. They were simply at the wrong place at the wrong time. His mother had been walking him down the sidewalk after shopping when they had been accosted. "Demon-lover!" "Whore!" "Get the demon-child, too!" he had watched in horror as a cinder block was thrown at her head and it connected. He remembered his small little hand losing his mother's grip as she stumbled to the ground—shattering like glass—blood dripping from a wound on the side of her head. His eyes had widened in horror as she screamed at him to run away. He actually had stood there stoically above his mother while taller human males converged around them both. He tried to slash at them with his little claws, but they only laughed at him and threw a concrete block at him as well. He was in a lot of pain--his head was spinning and he felt the wet, stickiness of blood oozing from his wound. He remembered that they tried to slice off his ears and had repeatedly bludgeoned his mother with the cinder block as he lost consciousness.

When he had come to in the hospital only his older estranged brother, Sesshomaru was around. That was when he learned that his mother was dead and that his father had left to identify her body. He had also found out that his survival was only due to his demonic heritage. The men that had surrounded him had attempted to kill him. Luckily they were only humans, if they had been demons he would have already been dead. He never felt prouder of his demonic heritage than at that moment and never felt so much revulsion for everything human—even his own human blood.

"Ash?" Kagome questioned.

"Kagome?" asked Inuyasha as he looked back at her, finally being drawn from his daze and his memories of the riot that had killed his mother. He looked at her again, his eyes of violet staring intensely at her orbs of darkened umber. "Just promise me that you'll be safe, please?" He touched his hand to her cheek. 'Just like glass,' he thought.

Kagome looked at him in puzzlement before she nodded mutely. Then her small hand griped his larger one in hers as if acknowledging a deep sorrow of his that she didn't truly understand.

* * *

_**As always, thank you Theleb K'aarna and blackdeathmessenger for being my betas for this chapter! Also, big kudos to Theleb K'aarna who helped me map out the plotline for this chapter. He told me we didn't have enough sporting events in this story and then helped me plot it out.**_

_**Please read and review. It helps inspire me to write more chapters!**_

* * *

_**Author's Notes:**_

_#1: The event that Inuyasha is remembering about his mother being beaten to death is of the Los Angeles Riots that happened in 1992. The exact way Inuyasha's mother and Inuyasha were beaten was taken from the real beatings of Reginald Denny and Fidel Lopez. They actually did cut off Lopez's ears. And believe it or not, I cleaned up the beatings, they were much worse in real life. I know that many of the people reading my story do not remember the event (some of you weren't even born yet), but I remember it vividly--especially since many of my friends from USC who were living two blocks away from where the riots started. I know that many Americans remember the unrest after Hurricane Katrina, but you should also realize that something just as violent happened in 1992, but that it was entirely caused by man not nature. It was a riot that erupted from long- term anger and resentment over recent verdicts that were racially charged. I still remember the beige humveesof the National Guard that patrolled the streets and highways of Southern California for weeks after the event. By the time the riots ended there were 53 people dead._

_#2: Rohypnol is a sedative drug that is 10x more powerful than valium. It has been called a date rape drug because of the following reasons: the drug has no taste when dissolved in liquid, causes short term memory loss and makes the victim feel drunk, often times to the point of losing consciousness. The drug is illegal in the US, but is freely available in Mexico—which is only a two hour drive away from where this story takes place. _

_#3: 'Cal' students don't get upset with me. My brother and two of my best friends went to 'Cal'. It's an awesome college. If you ever stop on by there go to 'Blondies' for pizza. Yum! Even though I graduated from the 'UC' system I'm having all 'UC' colleges in my story having at least some demonic students on campus. (For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about, the University of California system has UCLA, UC Berkeley 'Cal', my alma mater UC Santa Barbara, as well as many other UC campuses.) 'Ash' pretended that he was from UCSB even though he attends UCLA._

_#4:Hospitals will not give out patient information to non-family members. I had a personal experience with that one!_

_#5: Fanfiction dot net has a new feature called 'Reader Traffic' and I was pleasantly surprised to see what countries were reading this story. I wasn't surprised to see the English speaking countries on the top of the list, but I was also amazed to see non-English speaking countries there as well. So I'm sending out a big hello and a warm welcome to India, the Bahamas, Romania, Argentina, Israel and the Philippines. Drop me a line guys, tell me what country you are from and why you're reading my story. I'm curious… :-)_

_#6: I listened to "Nothing Else Matters" by Metallica and "Broken" by Seether while writing this chapter._

_#7: I changed Inuyasha's motorcycle to a Kawasaki Ninja. I just saw two people riding one a few weeks ago and it looks sleek, futuristic and sexy. And of course, I couldn't resist a bike with the title of 'Ninja'. Google it if you want to see what it looks like._

_#8: Kagome was fighting against 'Muso' in the tournament'._

* * *

_**Next Chapter:**__ Kisses and Frustration…the chapter I started to write over a month ago (because I was dying to write it) some of angst, some fluff and kissing of course…it is also quite long and I haven't finished writing it yet, so it might be split into two parts…see you then._

* * *

_**Reader Reviews:**_

_Whoah! I was amazed at the response for the last chapter. I even had a reviewer saying that they cried. Ummm…sorry? Now I'm wondering if my poor readers can handle the rest of my story. There's going to be an increasing amount of angst (but hey I'll throw in some fluff as well) before this story concludes._

_**Fan Fiction:**_

_Blackdeathmessenger: Just let me know when Inuyasha is OC and isn't acting like a guy. I'm sure that you can catch it quicker than I could! :-) Yes, and Kagome reacted a little too much to the tiny amount of alcohol. Maybe I should have thrown some sake shots in there. And I hope you have found things interesting. Things are coming to a head soon._

_TiffanyM: Oh gosh. This wasn't even the chapter where the bad things really happen…_

_XCrazyKindOvWeirdx: Thanks keep reading and reviewing._

_Diamond369: As I mentioned in the PM's someone was going in the hospital (which happened in this chapter) and someone was going to get really hurt emotionally (hasn't happened yet)._

_Ayumi Hino: I'm glad that you liked Inuyasha's antics in Kagome's room. I had fun with it. Yes, Myoga and Sesshomaru are dirty. It happens when you value winning above everything else. How is Inuyasha going to get out of it…? Who's to say he will…? :-P_

_Sofiakalaughable: Gosh, don't cry. That was supposed to be the fluffy chapter. Um… the real angst hasn't even hit yet._

_XxRockerElla: I'm glad you are enjoying it. I usually update weekly._

**MediaMiner(yeah my first reviews from there!):**

_Silverfeather: Will Kagome reject him if she finds out who he really is? Well, I can't tell you that one yet. But you will find out your answer in less than five chapters._

_OrlandoLover: Thanks a bunch. My major in college was English Lit. Though I think my professors would gag if they found out that I was writing some X-rated stuff. :-)_


	19. Chapter 19: Kisses and Frustration

**Ch 19: Kisses and Frustration**

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**There will be some adult language in this chapter. Do not read if that offends you.**_

_**Before this chapter begins I wanted to thank my wonderful betas: Theleb K'aarna and blackdeathmessenger for all of their hard work! And my apologies to my betas, since neither one can stand Evanesence.**_

_**If you like that band, you might want to play 'Bring Me to Life' as you read this chapter.**_

_**My updates will start every other weekend now--both myself and my betas need some more lead time.**_

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

'Ash' was flying down the Santa Monica Freeway with Kagome tightly encircling his back. He loved the rush of speed as he gunned his bike and weaved around the cars that were going too slow. Wind whipped past him and it made him feel alive. He laughed to himself when he drove past a car with a dog sticking his head out the window, the dog's tongue hanging out of its mouth. He knew how the dog felt, the need to feel the wind on his face, the need to experience the momentum of traveling without a windshield blocking the salty marine air.

He had just picked up Kagome from the Sunset Shrine and was taking her to _'14 Below'_, the club they would be playing at tonight. As usual, when he arrived, Kagome wasn't ready yet and Souta was eager for motorcycle riding lessons. It had become almost a routine, picking up Kagome who was never ready on time and then giving Souta motorcycle lessons while they waited. The kid was growing on Inuyasha, especially when he gazed up on him with hero worship in his eyes. Inuyasha always felt that he could do no wrong with Souta around, well that was until this evening. After their usual trip around the block in excess of 50 mph. Souta had a gift for 'Ash'. The young boy was grinning ear to ear when he gave 'Ash' his newest acquisition, Kagome's silky black panties.

Inuyasha shouldn't have been embarrassed, but he quickly shoved the offending garment into his jeans pocket as his own cheeks flamed red. He told himself he shouldn't be reacting like this, he had seen plenty of bras and panties over the past two years—both on and off of women. But somehow the knowledge that what he had held in his hand had intimately touched Kagome's ass and other lovely parts was doing something odd to him. He blanched as he tried to get the image of Kagome wearing nothing but satiny black panties out of his mind. Souta had just laughed and told him that he would get 'Ash' some more samples. Inuyasha put a stop to it right then and there, telling Souta that he appreciated the effort, but that his sister would not. It was only after he pledged to continue giving him motorbike lessons that the kid relented and promised to not go rifling through Kagome's intimate apparel again.

Soon their rushed trip down the freeway ended and 'Ash' as forced to slow down on Santa Monica Boulevard. After a few turns they were at their destination. He kicked down the main stand of his motorcycle as he stood up on his bike. He balanced both legs on either side of his bike as he let Kagome shrug out of her helmet, midnight black tresses spilling over her shoulders and down her back. He was amazed at how quickly she had recovered from her broken ribs. Just one week ago she had been in a hospital and couldn't even laugh without her ribcage hurting. After some intense miko healing she seemed to be back to her normal self. She would even start to working out with her team again next week.

As she maneuvered off of his bike he stared at her legs and looked at the slight puckering in the fabric of her white shirt below her nipples. He shifted off of the bike as well and glanced at her. He looked from her dainty feet to full hips that were coated in leather shorts to her round breasts in a wife beater to her windswept raven locks that framed her lovely face. Her brown eyes glowed and her pink lips looked like they needed something. He placed his helmet down on his bike and moved toward her like a predator.

"Ash?" she asked in surprise as she saw the purposeful intent of his eyes.

"Can't help it wench," he spoke as he closed the distance between them and pulled her close to him. One of his arms encircled her waist, while another held the back of her neck. With a slight nudge, her lips were flush to his and he couldn't help but to massage her lips with his tongue until her lips parted and he dived right into her mouth. He moaned as he tried to dominate her mouth and another hand wandered down her body, caressing her back before his hands massaged her firm ass that was tightly enclosed with buttery black leather. "Damn," he murmured as he continued to stroke her body with his hands. "I won't be able to touch you for a few hours. Do you know how crazy that drives me, wench?" he asked.

One of her hands fisted into his long black hair while the other hand found its way under his red shirt and was touching the planes of his chest. "My name isn't wench, it's Kagome."

He grabbed her as he pulled her close to his pelvis. "Kagome, you drive me crazy…," was all he could murmur into her lips.

Gentle kisses were strewn about his lips and then his cheek before she pulled away from him. She added breathlessly, "I gotta get in there and help them setup before the show. You'll pick me up right?" she said as she stood next to him. His arms drew her in again, encircling her waist and bringing her flush to his body. She put both hands around his neck and then dropped her arms down to his T-shirt. She tried to smooth out the shirt before she gathered the fabric in her hands to pull him close to her. She opened her mouth to his and kissed him deeply once more before she pulled away. As she walked away from him--he could only stare at her ass, which had liquid black leather poured over it. She smiled at him coyly. "Ash?" she asked.

"Yeah. I'll pick you up. I'll be here when the band is done playing," he added. "Wait for me."

"Always," she smiled at him as she walked into the club and he sighed before putting his motorcycle helmet back on and driving a few blocks away to park his bike. He walked to an alleyway where he knew he couldn't be seen and he took his ring off. The stench of the garbage strewn alley assaulted his senses, but he tried to ignore the rotten smells as he took off his red t-shirt and put on a black shirt with white skulls on it. Then he took off his blue jeans to put on some black denims. Afterwards he proceeded to strap on a black leather belt with silver spikes on it. He took off his ponytail and let his silver hair fall past his shoulders and down his back. Surely she wouldn't be able to recognize him now.

He pulled an empty duffle bag out of his backpack and managed to stuff everything in it. At least she wouldn't recognize his backpack since it was hidden in the duffle when he walked into the club. The band had played here many times before he knew a way around from the back and shoved open a heavy metal door that was near an alleyway. His white ears flicked to the right when he overheard someone talking about him.

"He should be here soon Kagome." He overheard as he closed the door behind him. He threw his duffle over his shoulder and smirked as he swaggered toward his group. Everyone else had already assembled and they were already starting to setup their equipment. The first thing that he noticed was Kagome's scent that enticed him and clogged his senses. Then he saw her backside of slick black leather facing him. The subtle interplay of blue and red lights reflected off the leather's surface, showing off her curves. 'Damn' he thought as he absentmindedly wondered exactly how she had gotten into her hotpants. 'What did she do? Paint them on?'

He was probably staring at her lower half a little too long because once she turned around to see him her eyes quickly darted to his to see what he was looking at and then a red-pink blush crept past her cheeks.

"What do you expect wench!" he huffed at her. "If you wear something like that expect people to stare!" he said as he made his way over to his guitar which Ginta had already placed on his chrome guitar stand.

Kagome's embarrassment quickly morphed into annoyance as she walked right in front of Inuyasha and eyed him.

Inuyasha paused as he was adjusting the pegs of his guitar. "Yes?" said Inuyasha dryly as he tried not to breathe in her alluring scent.

"I need to ask you a question about that date you took me on," said Kagome with subdued anger in her eyes.

"OK," mouthed a befuddled Inuyasha.

Suddenly Kagome shoved her hand in his face with her index finger pointing at him accusingly. "What was this doing on my bed?" she asked.

"Your finger Kagome? What are you talking about?" said Inuyasha in a condescending tone of voice.

"Not my finger! Look what's on it!"

His eyes stared at her finger more critically this time and he noticed a silver thread that was wrapped around her index finger like a ring.

"What is a silver thread doing around your finger?" he murmured.

"It's not thread, its hair! A very long strand of silver hair!" exclaimed Kagome. "In fact it looks just like…" Kagome reached out to Inuyasha's hair and plucked out a strand of his hair.

"Ouch!" murmured Inuyasha as he put a hand to his head where she had pulled from. "What did you do that for wench?"

"Ah ha!" she exclaimed as she wrapped the new strand of hair around her finger. The white-silver color matched the first strand perfectly from the snowy whiteness of one end to the deeper silver color of the root.

Inuyasha looked and noted the obvious similarities. It took him a few moments and then a deep red blush crept onto his face. 'Shit! It must have happened when I slept in her bed. This is really bad!' he thought.

"Again! Why was your hair on my bed, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha looked at her momentarily dazed. He saw her flushed cheeks, her livid, angry eyes that flashed molten umber, her eyebrows that were drawn together and her red lips which were pursed together in a frown. 'Damn, she looks sexy when's she's angry,' he thought absentmindedly as he tried to think of a good explanation.

"Well…," Inuyasha began.

"Well?" answered Kagome tersely as she folded her arms in front of her which didn't help him concentrate since her arms managed to shove her breasts upward and together.

'OK. Go with the truth. Just don't say everything,' thought Inuyasha as he breathed in deeply. "You see…you were pretty drunk and you couldn't even stand up straight. I figured that having you walk in the front door would get you into trouble…" Inuyasha looked up at Kagome to gauge her reaction. He noticed that her face held a look of surprise. "I then tried to find your room. I found a dark room with a pink bed and a red bra on the chair and I figured it was your room."

"You saw my bra?!" asked Kagome askance as her hands were momentarily pulled from a folding position and made their ways to her hips.

"Oi. It helped me to identify your room."

Kagome leaned forward and folded her arms back in front of her. The redness of her cheeks intensified.

"So I opened the window to your room and brought you in and placed you on your bed. No one saw us enter the house and you didn't get in trouble," said Inuyasha in a rather pleased tone.

"Is that all that happened?" asked Kagome.

"Oi," murmured Inuyasha as he started to scratch the back of his neck.

Kagome's hands drifted from her hips and fell down to her side. She no longer seemed defensive. Now she seemed almost subdued. "So you were just trying to keep me from getting into trouble?" she asked.

"Feh, that and I figured they'd never let me near your house again," added Inuyasha truthfully.

Kagome cocked her head and seemed to consider his words. "You didn't take advantage of the situation, did you?"

"Who me?" asked Inuyasha as his hand pressed against his chest in a manner of feigned innocence. He quickly decided that hanging around Miroku had some benefits since he had learned from the master about the arts of subterfuge.

Kagome raised an eyebrow. "OK. You're off the hook," she stated. Inuyasha let out a breath of relief. "But!" Suddenly Kagome was pointing at his chest. He felt her index finger pressing in against him and he looked again at her flushed face and the way her wet lips moved. He really didn't know what she was saying next. He only nodded wordlessly as he watched her body press in closer to his—her warm breath misting over him as she spoke.

"…and you got that!?" pestered Kagome as Inuyasha came out of his haze.

"Oi!" murmured Inuyasha as he watched Kagome turn around and make her way to the synthesizer they always set up for her. Inuyasha briefly wondered what he had just agreed to as a goofy grin spread across his face. He was watching Kagome's backside. Her long fingers were pressing against the keyboard, caressing the keys like a lover and he wondered what it would be like if her hands were roaming over his body instead. He looked again at her hips firmly contained in slick black leather that was rocking back and forth to her own internal beat.

Déjà vu overcame him. It was the same feeling when he had been cradling her form next to him in her bed. The feeling of pleasurable torture, the undeniable need to have her body flush next to his and the sinking feeling that it was something he couldn't do with her—not now. That was until he told her the truth... If he told her the truth, how would she react? He supposed that ever since Myoga had told him that he no longer needed to spy on the USC team that he could simply give up on being Ash and just be himself around her. But now she wanted 'Ash', she loved 'Ash'. And where did it leave him? Could he ever tell her the truth? Could he ever get her to see him as he really was?

He sighed. He loved her. He lusted after her. He wanted her. How on earth was he going to resolve this?

"Inuyasha!" He turned quickly to see Ginta trying to get his attention. "If you're done daydreaming we need to get this show on the road."

"Oi," mouthed Inuyasha as he finished tuning up his guitar. "Have you done a sound check first?"

"Yes," said Ginta dryly. "That was what I was telling you just a moment ago."

Inuyasha quickly finished adjusting the pegs of his Fender Stratocaster guitar, then strummed it a few times to make sure that everything was tuned, before he walked up to the head mike and introduced the band. He eyed Kagome and when she nodded back to him she started to play her synthesizer.

Her hands fingered the keyboard lightly, tinkling the keys gently as piano music started to stream over the speakers. Hakkaku started to lightly tap his drums to the beat, providing a staccato rhythm. Kagome's breathless voice began to pour over the speakers, blending with the piano and the light drum beats. Inuyasha was momentarily taken aback as he let her voice take over his mind. The words she sang were perfectly in key and were drawn out as if in sadness.

After her first verse she drew out one more word over the count of two beats and then Inuyasha, Koga and Ginta strummed their guitars. Drum beats slammed down hard as the music reached a crescendo and the group started their next verse. Inuyasha loved the way the song would flow from here on out. He would sing a line and then in quick succession Kagome would sing her line, their voices blending in a harsh rhythm. To him it felt like sex--as if he was pumping into her and she was pushing back against him. It was electric. If only their bodies could blend together as easily as their voices.

_(Wake me up)_ He sang loudly and abruptly  
_Wake me up inside_. She echoed softly and seductively.  
_(I can't wake up)_  
_Wake me up inside._  
_ (Save me!)_ He cried out.  
_Call my name and save me from the dark._  
_(Wake me up)_  
_Bid my blood to run._  
_(I can't wake up)_  
_Before I come undone._  
_ (Save me) _He nearly screamed.  
_Save me from the nothing I've become._ She sang as her voice trailed behind his.

Her voice hummed as the guitars strummed and belted out heavy riffs.

_Now that I know what I'm without,_  
_You can't just leave me..._ She sang as if sobbing in pain.

Inuyasha continued strumming on his guitar as he sung every other line. His eyes centered right on Kagome's back. He looked at her hips that swayed from side to side and the way her foot tapped to the beat of the music. She seemed lost in the music, her voice long and lingering over every note. He wondered if she was so enraptured that she wouldn't notice him if he was right behind her. He started to move towards her as she sang her next line.

_Bring me to life._ She murmured.  
_ (I've been living a lie._  
_There's nothing inside)_ He almost hissed his lines as he sang sadly and harshly.  
_Bring me to life_. She echoed again as her voice drew out the words softly like a butterfly dancing on the breeze.

Soon he was right behind her. The lights on the stage reflected red, blue and white on her undulating hips. He imagined holding them like a lover as he slammed his own hips against her. The round shiny leather moved as she danced and the reflected lights moved over her like a caress.

He continued to strum his guitar, though he wasn't playing as heavily as he had just been a few moments ago. For a few brief seconds he let go of his guitar and let it hang uselessly by his side. Kagome's body moved with the music, her fingers dancing on the keyboard and her eyes closed as if in deep meditation. If he did this right she would never notice. His hands moved of their own accord in an hourglass motion around her curves. The audience seemed to hoot louder at his actions. He smirked and then backed away from Kagome, wishing that he could have gotten closer.

_(Without a thought_ He belted out his words in quick succession.  
_Without a voice_  
_Without a soul_  
_Don't let me die here._  
_There must be something more)._  
_Bring me to life. _Her voice drifted into the air.

The music pulled him as his fingers strummed against his guitar in an unrelenting pace. He felt an internal anger and he tried to focus enough while playing to realize what it was. He was angry that he couldn't touch her, he was upset that she didn't know who he really was, frustrated that his deception was keeping them apart, hurt that his love for her would remain unrequited unless he told her the whole story and as his fingers slammed against his guitar to play a harsh riff he realized a final truth. It was his own fault. There was no one to blame but himself. He was the one who had lied to her--he was the one who had pretended to be someone else. Sesshoumaru and Myoga had thrust him into his role. But he had played along willingly and now he was paying for it.

_Bring me to life._ She sang again softly.  
_(I've been living a lie. There's nothing inside)_ His words were shouted bitterly into the air.  
_Bring me to life._ Her voice effortlessly drew out her words, echoing his.

The song finished with Kagome tinkling the synthesizer, the gentle rhythm of a piano falling over the speakers. The guitars had ceased their playing and only the gentle beat of the drums crested with the piano music.

As the music trailed off Inuyasha actually noticed the crowd in front of him for the first time. He had been staring at Kagome so intently that he had almost forgotten the crowd that surrounded the stage.

They were enthralled, they were screaming, they wanted an encore and this was only their first song of the evening! He smiled at the band and started to play their next song. They could always reprise this song again after they were done with their playlist.

The next few songs fell as easily from his lips as the previous ones. He lost himself in his music in order to forget why he had been upset.

He loved singing, he loved the feel of the guitar under his hands, he loved the way his voice blended with Kagome's, he loved seeing her hips move with the beat of the music and he loved the way it felt to live off the electricity of the crowd, the rhythms, the music. Music brought him to life. It had a life of its own. He never knew how much he missed playing until he was there on stage, feeling the music throbbing through him. It wasn't as good as sex, but just as necessary. In fact the only other thing that could come close to this feeling was playing sports in a crowded stadium and hearing the crowd screaming for his team.

By the time they were done he was sweating happily. Forty-five minutes had passed, though it felt like it was a little over five minutes. It always seemed that way when he was on stage. Inuyasha turned to look around at his band mates. Everyone was smiling. They were right on tonight. Everything had flowed perfectly and smoothly. They quickly packed their equipment so that the next band could take the stage.

He led Kagome away from the stage by pressing his hand into the small of her back when they almost ran into a middle-aged man. His black hair was medium length and was pulled back into a short pony-tail. He was wearing khaki pants and a pale blue dress shirt with its sleeves pulled back to his forearms. The man flashed a business card at Inuyasha and waved it in his face.

"Oi, can I help you?" asked Inuyasha in annoyance.

"Well, actually I hope that I can help you," the man added. "Your band's, 'Immortal Sin', isn't it? You play professionally, the crowd loves you and your on stage dynamics," he added as he was sizing up Kagome. Inuyasha growled as the man swallowed and then continued. "As I was saying your on stage dynamics are electric. I would like to setup your band to play at my club, 'the House of Blues' on the Sunset Strip."

Inuyasha just gaped as he swiped the business card and read it intently. The fine print read:  
_House of Blues  
8430 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069  
Jim Johnson, Stage Manager_

"Oi. Ginta!" he called out. "There's someone here who needs to talk to you."

"Eh?" questioned the man from the House of Blues.

Inuyasha scratched his neck. "Oi. Ginta handles all of our bookings. He's been elected our manager. I've never been good with contracts and stuff. That's all his job."

Ginta strolled over to Inuyasha and Kagome. His eyes showed how curious he was when Inuyasha waved a business card in front of him and told him that the 'House of Blues' wanted them to play there.

Inuyasha led Kagome away from the negotiation, but her feet seemed locked in place. He needed to grab her arm and pull her away to get her away from the lecherous manager and business talk that simply gave him headaches.

"Don't you want to stay and find out what happens?" asked Kagome, her voice belying excitement.

"Ah, not really," answered Inuyasha. "That's Ginta's job."

"But, but…it's the House of Blues! That's the gig bands would pay to play at. Many famous rock bands get their start there."

Inuyasha just shrugged. "It would be nice to get some notice for our music. But we're all busy with college. And you and me are in a very demanding college sport. I always planned on playing on a national demonic team after college. Maybe I'll still play in a band to keep up my skills. But I don't think that's where I'm heading."

"Oh," whispered Kagome with a note of disappointment in her voice. "I always wanted to make a living playing or singing after college."

Inuyasha sniffed and then stiffened as the scent of plastic permeated the air. 'Oh no, she's here,' he thought. It corrupted the beautiful scent of Kagome. He tried to breathe in deeply near Kagome's hair one last time to get that annoying scent away from his senses before red eyes glared at him.

"Is that your bitch!?" yelled Yura as her blood red eyes fumed in anger against the miko standing next to Inuyasha.

Kagome could only look at Yura in complete bewilderment. "Bitch? Inuyasha's? Inuyasha what is she talking about?" asked Kagome as she looked back at him.

"Oh, don't you lie to me you whore!" spat Yura. "I smell him all over you?"

A startled Kagome looked back at Yura. "Smell who on me?"

"Inuyasha!" Yura yelled as she lunged towards Kagome. "You slut!"

Inuyasha quickly intervened as he grabbed Yura's arms and held them in an unbreakable steel grip. "Don't you ever threaten her, Yura! You'll only regret it," he promised in harsh tones. Inuyasha was not holding her gently and just as quickly as he had grabbed her--Yura was shoved away. "We're over Yura. Get out of here!"

Yura only cried as she gripped her wrists in pain. "You lousy prick!" she yelled. "I was just a fuck to you." She turned to Kagome whose eyes were still wide with fear and surprise. "He's a player girl. Cut your losses while you still can." Then with what little dignity Yura had left, she pulled herself up and walked out the door.

"What was that about Inuyasha? She said that she smelled you all over me?" asked Kagome in confusion.

"Huh?" Inuyasha ran his fingers through his bangs. "She could have only smelled trace amounts of me on you, right? I touched your shoulders and your back. I think she said it out of jealously."

"Oh, well. Then that is that," murmured Kagome as she shifted uncomfortably. "I need to go. Ash will be picking me up soon."

"Uh, Kagome!" Inuyasha blurted out as he grabbed her shoulder again. "I called Ash and it will be another hour before he gets here. So I told him that I'd look after you. Can I buy you a drink while we wait?"

"Well, OK. As long as Ash doesn't mind," added Kagome.

"He won't mind," smiled Inuyasha as he led them to the bar. "What do you want to drink, Kagome?"

"Oh, I'm not yet 21, Inuyasha. So just get me a coke."

"They know me here. I can get you whatever you want," added Inuyasha.

Kagome quirked an eyebrow at him. "After what happened last time I think I'll just have a coke."

Inuyasha winced and then tooled his features. "Hey, Mike. One Sapporo beer and one coke," yelled Inuyasha over the crowd at the bar. Soon two drinks were placed in front of him and Inuyasha lead Kagome over to a quieter and more secluded area. The bar had a nice outdoor seating area where you could see the ocean and smell the sea breeze. It also had the added benefit of being quiet enough that you could actually hear what the person next to you was saying. Inuyasha placed the two drinks on a table on the veranda.

"Um, I wanted to explain Yura to you Kagome," said Inuyasha in a voice that was almost pleading.

Kagome waved her hand in front of her in a dismissal fashion. "You don't have to explain anything to me Inuyasha. What you do with a woman or a demoness for that matter is your own business."

"No, I," Inuyasha paused and looked over at her with eyes that seemed to be begging her. "I need to tell you what's going on. Will you please listen?"

Kagome was only momentarily taken aback. "OK. Inuyasha. Tell me what's on your mind."

Inuyasha ran his fingers through his bangs again in frustration as he took a sip of his beer and then peered over the rim of the glass bottle to look at Kagome.

"I…I…," was all he could get out, his words tuck in his throat.

Kagome peered at him critically and then moved to her purse to get out a small brush. "I don't know what you are trying to tell me Inuyasha. But since the cat has your tongue, just sit in front of me and I'll brush your hair."

"Brush my hair?" asked Inuyasha in some confusion.

"Yes. It's a mess. How often do you comb it? Don't you use detangler?"

"Detangler?" Inuyasha asked in utter confusion.

"Never mind," said Kagome as she positioned a chair in front of her and motioned for him to sit down in front of her with his back to her.

Kagome started to gently brush his hair as Inuyasha sighed pleasantly. His ears would flick from side to side as she would hold a large lock of his hair and then started to brush out tangles. She laughed as she did it. "You know, I'm going to have to brush Ash's hair as well tonight. His hair is always such a mess," said Kagome as Inuyasha momentarily stiffened under her brush. "Are you OK?" asked Kagome.

"Oh, fine. You just pulled at a tangle. That's all," said Inuyasha to cover some of his nervousness. "Um, I wanted to tell you about me and the team."

"Go on," added Kagome as she took yet another lock of his hair and tried to brush out the tangles embedded within it.

"When I started my Freshman year at UCLA, I was a pariah," started Inuyasha.

"Why's that?" asked Kagome as she continued to brush.

"Oi, I'm a half-breed, Kagome. I'm not the only half-demon at an all-demon University, but you can imagine how I was treated."

"I never thought," murmured Kagome as she continued trying to massage a mass of tangled hair into being straight. "Why would anyone treat you differently?"

Inuyasha smiled slowly at her words. "Not everyone's like you Kagome. Being a half-breed made me a lower class citizen on campus. The teacher's graded me harsher, the students would either ignore me or do everything in their power to let me know that I wasn't wanted."

"That's horrible," added Kagome with genuine disdain.

Inuyasha smiled silently to himself again. Just hearing Kagome's words seemed to make the past somewhat more bearable. "Feh. I was Inuyasha the half-breed. Something my brother was also quite fond of reminding everyone."

"Even your brother?" asked Kagome in surprise.

"Oh he was the ring leader," murmured Inuyasha as he closed his eyes and let the gentle tugging of his hair calm him. "Him and Jaken did everything they could to make my life a living hell. So I decided to get back at him."

"How?" asked Kagome.

"Feh, I threatened to join the all-demonic UCLA team. My brother scoffed at the idea. No half-breed had ever made it to the team before. But I was determined. I gave it all I had and it certainly helped that I had been sparring with my brother since I was a child. I had ample practice on how to fight other demons."

"So they let you on the team?" asked Kagome who certainly knew the outcome.

"Some of the board was against having me on the team. After all, I was a half-breed. But Coach Myoga was able to show them footage of how I fought and they relented. They want a winning team and that is more important than who is on it. So anyways," Inuyasha continued. "I was now part of the team. Teachers began treating me better and so did the students. Then I became such a good player that I moved up and was placed on Sesshoumaru's team. You should have seen the look on his face when he found out that I was being placed on his team. His team was the Class 'A' team. The team that was for the 'best of the best'."

"Yes, I know," added Kagome as she continued to brush.

"Everyone started to treat me so differently then. I was no longer an outcast. Talent scouts for the national teams, you know, post-college—started to talk to me. Everyone wanted to be my friend and the girls…," Inuyasha's voice started to trail off.

"Um, the girls?" asked Kagome somewhat shakily.

"Um, yeah, the girls. I had my own group of fangirls," said Inuyasha sheepishly.

"Oh, I know what you mean," added Kagome with a laugh. "I had the same problems you had."

Inuyasha stiffened again. 'She has a fanclub, too?' he thought. A quick pang of jealously racked through him. Inuyasha briefly remembered what Miroku had told him about guys that were after Kagome and his mouth seemed really dry.

"Um, Kagome," asked Inuyasha.

"Yes, Inuyasha," answered Kagome.

"These guys, did they?"

"Did they what?" asked Kagome.

"Did they try to hit on you?" asked Inuyasha as he tried to do his best to not sound jealous.

Kagome stopped brushing his hair for a moment and then started brushing again. "Yes, I mean. I was a nobody on campus at first. I think I enjoyed the anonymity. Then once I joined the team, everyone noticed me. The recruiters for the national teams kept on calling me and my fellow students wouldn't leave me alone. Thank the Kamis that I had Sango and Miroku there to help guide me. I think I would have made some serious mistakes if they had not been there for me."

"You didn't answer my question, Kagome…"

"Oh, well I did in a round-about way. Yes, they hit on me--a lot."

Inuyasha couldn't help but to growl this time.

"What are you growling about? You sound just like Ash, you know," said Kagome and then she stopped brushing his hair for a moment. She then sighed. "You two cousins, you're so much alike that you could be twins, I swear."

"We get that a lot," answered Inuyasha as he took a deep breath of air to calm himself. 'Did she think for a second that we could be the same person?' he thought, almost allowing panic to take over. "Um, so they were hitting on you…" Inuyasha added in an attempt to get her to talk about the one subject that both infuriated him and held his intense curiosity.

"Yeah, but I wasn't interested. I almost went out with Hojo, simply because he's so dense that he can't take 'no' for an answer. But I was waiting for someone," she answered.

"Waiting for who?" asked Inuyasha. He actually knew what the answer was, since Kagome had told Ash this same information when she had been in a drunken stupor. He just wanted her to admit it to him.

Kagome swallowed. "So you said that you had a fangirl club as well, what happened with them?"

"Oi, don't even try to change the subject, Kagome," said Inuyasha as he turned in his chair to look at her. His golden eyes looked directly into her brown eyes and she suddenly found it difficult to breathe. "You were waiting…"

"I was waiting…I was waiting for you…Inuyasha," Kagome confessed as she swallowed. "But it doesn't matter anymore. Really." She tried to turn his head around as she tried to brush his hair again.

Inuyasha grabbed her hand that held the brush and then slowly leaned in toward her face as he twisted in his seat. "But it does matter. That's what I've been trying to tell you." He pulled at her hand and then moved another of his arms around her back so that he was even closer. His breath misted over her lips. "Kagome," he murmured. "I can't stop thinking about you. You're driving me crazy." Soon his hungry lips crashed down on hers as he pulled her soft body next to his. The brush in her hand dropped to the floor as Inuyasha tugged her arm around his neck. His tongue sucked on her lower lip and her mouth quickly parted open in an 'O'. Without a pause he moved his tongue within her mouth as her own gingerly responded. He had done this before, but he had been Ash and all of his senses had been deadened. This was so much sweeter. He could smell her wonderful cherry blossom scent wrapping around him and he could taste the jasmine sweetness of her mouth. Her scent was so addicting and alluring. She really had no idea what she was doing to him. The erotic dreams he repeatedly had of her entered his thoughts as he kissed her. 'Kami,' was all he could think as he imagined doing much more than kissing her, though he knew that would be too much too soon. His arms tightened around her neck and back drawing her as close to him as he could.

Then as suddenly as the passionate kiss started, it stopped. "No," cried out Kagome as she pushed back against his chest. She looked at him, her face flustered with red on her cheeks and her lovely lips were swollen. "No, this isn't right Inuyasha. I'm dating your cousin." She drew away from him and tried to reach down and pick up her brush.

Inuyasha gently grabbed her hand again to pull her closer to him. "Kagome, he won't mind, he…"

Kagome's eyes stormed angrily. "What do you mean he won't mind? You just made a pass at his girlfriend!"

"He'll understand. I mean, we're practically twins," Inuyasha added desperately.

Kagome only glared at him, grabbed her brush and purse to storm off.

Inuyasha could only slouch in his chair alone. Then he smiled wryly to stand up. 'I guess it's time for Ash to show up,' he thought. He made his way quickly to the backstage dressing room and took his duffle bag out. He quickly put on a different T-shirt and blue jeans. He even ruffled up his hair to make it a little messy before he put it back into a ponytail. Then he tugged the silver ring off of his necklace and put it on his finger. Suddenly the pungent odors of club disappeared and the ringing sounds that assaulted his ears were deadened. He pulled at his ponytail to make sure that it was black. He even tugged briefly at his all too human ears to make sure that the transformation was complete. Inuyasha sighed as he slung his duffle bag over his shoulders and made his way to the back door of the club. He needed to tell Kagome the truth and he needed to tell her soon--he couldn't go on with her this way.

Soon he had made his way to his silver and red Kawasaki motorcycle that he had parked a few blocks away and then he made quite a show of revving his engine as he picked her up. He noticed her downcast face as he looked at her. So he stopped his motorcycle, kicked down the kickstand and walked on up to her.

"What's wrong, Kagome?" he asked as he tipped her chin up to look at him. He then noticed tears welling in the corner of her eyes.

"I don't know, Ash, I…," murmured Kagome as her mouth quivered.

Inuyasha then couldn't help but to continue what he had started on the veranda of the club. His lips quickly found hers and pressed up against hers. His mouth opened wider and one of his fingers traced down her neck as she breathed in and opened her mouth at the same time. This time he found no resistance as he passionately probed and sucked at her mouth. It wasn't as sweet when he was Ash, but at least she wasn't stopping him like she had before. Some tears had fallen down her cheeks and he wiped them away with his thumbs before kissing the corners of her eyes. Her breathing slowed and she hiccuped.

He looked her directly in the eyes, his soft violet eyes boring into her brown pools. "It was Inuyasha wasn't it?" he asked softly.

Kagome looked up at him, both shocked and perplexed before she nodded.

Inuyasha, who was now in his 'Ash' persona only smiled down at her lovingly. "Don't let him bother you. He's practically my twin. He couldn't help but to be attracted to you," he murmured as he stroked her cheeks.

"But aren't you upset?" she asked without truly defining to Ash what he should be upset about.

Ash kissed her nose. "Never Kagome," he added playfully. He handed her his spare helmet and he stepped back onto his bike. He kicked up his kickstand and steadied it with both feet before he motioned for her to sit behind him.

"Ash?" she asked meekly.

"What Kagome," he answered in a sly smile.

"Please tell Inuyasha…?" she asked timidly.

"Tell him what?"

"Please, tell him to stay away from me," Inuyasha's breath hitched in his throat and he felt a sinking sensation.

"What?" he murmured.

"Tell your cousin to stay away from me. It's not right, it's not..." Her eyes looked at him with a silent plea. "Please talk to him, will you?"

He could only swallow and nod. Her arms encircled his waist and her warm breath misted over his human ears causing his own body to react. A tingling sensation pooled in his abdomen as he sighed as if in defeat.

'She's going to be the death of me,' was all he could think as his motorcycle sped away into the harsh, cool night.

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Next Chapter:**__ Things are starting to heat up and this story is moving towards its crescendo…something everyone has been anticipating is going to happen… See you in two weeks…_

_Please read and review. It inspires me to write more chapters!_

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Author's Notes:**  
#1: I'm looking for a solo love song for Inuyasha to sing to Kagome. I need a simple love song, not an apologetic one. I've already rejected 'Faraway' from Nickelback (which I like, but it's too apologetic.) I need a pure love song that has no regrets in it. Any recommendations?_

_#2: And I bet you thought I had forgotten about Yura, didn't you?_

_#3: I've been asked how many chapters this story will be. Currently I have all of the chapters mapped out to Chapter 25 (which is an epilogue)--so 25 Chapters plus or minus a few._

_#4: I recommend playing 'Bring Me to Life by Evanescence while reading this chapter. You can download it on youtube or iTunes._

_#5: My sister broke her rib during a gymnastics accident (and her experience is reflected in Kagome's injury in the last chapter). She was actually back in gym practice one week after breaking one rib, though she wasn't able to do cartwheels, etc. until about 4 weeks after the accident. I figured that with accelerated miko healing that she could be working out again in a week and actually fight in a game in two weeks._

_#6: Yes, that's the real address of the 'House of Blues' on the Sunset Strip and Jim Johnson is a name I made up. I have no idea if they even have a stage manager there. I have been to clubs on the Sunset Strip, but not the House of Blues. I was too broke in college to go to a place that had a cover of $30-50+! Gah!_

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Reader Reviews:**_

_TiffanyM: Ah well, the updating every week has been hard, so it will be bi-monthly from now on out. But neverfear—this story will get finished._

_Hedanicree: I love reading your reviews. Thanks so much! Yes, you picked up on the foreshadowing and does Kaede know? You'll find out in the next chapter. Will Inuyasha's life be in the toilet by the end of the story? Well, the story is called 'A Grudging Loss'. Both Inuyasha and Kagome will suffer a 'grudging loss' by the time this story is done. But they will also have a gain—which I think will be a little surprising…_

_Blackdeathmessenger: Thanks for the wonderful edits for the last chapter. Sorry that the time schedule has been too quick. I hope that a bi-monthly posting will be more manageable._

_Saikoubi-Megami: Thanks and you'll need to pack tissues in two chapters…sorry the angst increases in every chapter from now on…_

_Arishimo: I'm glad that you find my story original. It just grew out of my college experience and reading too much Inuyasha._

_Sofiakalaughable: Again, the tissues will need to be broken out in 2 more chapters. Angst will only start increasing from here on out…_

_Midnightsilver: There should be lots of tears in 2-3 more chapters…Sorry…_


	20. Chapter 20: Feels Like Tonight

**Chapter 20: Feels Like Tonight…**

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Wheeh! My betas made me work hard to get this chapter out. They had me expand some scenes and add in more angst. So thank you: Theleb K'aarna and blackdeathmessenger for all of your hard work! **_

_**You might want to play Daughtry: "Feels Like Tonight" while reading this chapter.**_

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

The grey-blue skies of Los Angeles were overhead and it was just like any other day of the year. The December skies were clear and the weather was pleasant. In fact, the only difference in the season was that the gentle breezes actually managed to get most of the smog out of the air, so that the normal brown tint to the LA skyline was no longer visible.

'Ash' watched Kagome as she was jogging around the tracks at USC. He had long since decided that the 'laps' were his favorite part of the workout. It allowed him to see her in her jogging bra, sweat lingering on flat tone abs and pooling between her breasts. She had taken to wearing tight lycra jogging shorts, leaving little to the imagination as he saw her firm backside enveloped in shiny blackness. He watched a tendril of black hair wisp about her face as the breeze hit the field. The way her hair brushed up against her red cheeks, the way her tan glistening skin reflected the evening's rays, the way her breath caught as she ran—it was too sensual—too familiar—too beautiful for him to take his eyes off of.

He wasn't supposed to be here he realized. Coach Myoga had forbidden him two weeks ago from 'spying' on USC and their workouts. Now he was here simply for himself and to see Kagome. The feelings it evoked in his gut were strange, in one way he felt at peace because he no longer felt the need to report back on the USC team, though there was a nagging worry in the back of his mind that if word got back to Myoga that he was still at the USC practices that he would be kicked off the team.

'Ash' sighed as he leaned back on the cool metal bleacher. If he got kicked off the UCLA team his dream of going onto a national demonic team would never happen. He was literally playing with his future by being here and seeing Kagome like this. But somehow he felt like he really didn't have much choice in the matter. Not seeing Kagome, not being near her, not touching her, not catching a whiff of her lovely scent would make him unglued. Of course he was already unglued. One lithe raven haired college miko had already accomplished that.

"Inuyasha," an elderly woman's voice called out quietly to his side.

'Ash' broke out of his reverie to stare at Coach Kaede who had walked up to him. 'How the hell did I not notice her coming?' he thought. Then he glanced back at Kagome on the field. 'Oh, yeah, right…,' he answered himself in his head.

"Yes, Coach Kaede?" he asked while his gaze still focused on the jogging miko.

"So, you don't even attempt to hide it from me dog demon," countered the elderly coach.

"What?!" answered 'Ash' in complete confusion.

Kaede motioned to the spot next to Inuyasha on the bleacher that was unoccupied. "Did you not notice? I called you Inuyasha and you responded 'Ash'," replied Kaede with a knowing look on her face.

"What, no," said 'Ash' as his face drained of all color. "No you can't…," he stammered.

Kaede looked deeply into his eyes and sighed as she leaned back. "So does Kagome even know?" asked Kaede as she motioned to the young miko who was jogging around the track.

"Please Kaede, I'm asking you, don't say anything," pleaded 'Ash'. Then he turned his gaze away from Kaede and back to Kagome whose back was turned as she rounded a curve.

Coach Kaede simply sighed. "I have seen the two of you together, Inuyasha. I have seen how you react to each other. There is love when you gaze at each other and yet you refuse to tell my player the real truth of who you are?"

"But Kaede, if she found out she'd…," trailed off Inuyasha with fear evident in his voice.

"A relationship not based on trust is worthless. You owe it to her to tell her the truth and let her judge on her own. I can tell that she loves you."

"I know," responded Inuyasha mournfully as he turned his head away from her.

"You know and you still haven't told her?" questioned Kaede in surprise.

"I know that I need to tell her, but I'm just... I'm just afraid of how she'll react. I've been keeping the truth from her for so long. And she has such a huge temper. I don't want her angry at me."

"The longer you keep this from her, the angrier she will get," advised the elderly miko. "If you are serious about Kagome then why are you doing everything you possibly can to ruin your chances? If you care for her you'll tell her the truth, you'll do it immediately and beg forgiveness. You cannot build a strong relationship supported upon a foundation of lies." Kaede paused. "Now Inuyasha, you need to tell her the truth or—I will."

"No, you can't!"

"I will if you won't," Kaede smiled at him regretfully. "But of course you can tell her yourself and keep me from getting involved with your little deception."

"It's not a deception!"

"Oh then, pray tell what is it?" said Kaede her voice rising. "How long have you been here observing my team? How long have you been dating Kagome while she has been blissfully unaware of who you really are? And why are you here really? Was it to spy on my team or was it to see Kagome?"

Her words twisted painfully in his mind. His first reaction was to yell at her and return her accusation in kind, but he knew that if he started to yell at Kaede—Kagome would demand an explanation and an explanation was not what he wanted to give Kagome right now. Inuyasha breathed in deeply and let a cool, calming breath overtake the edginess of his soul.

"Kaede-baba. Things didn't start out right. I'll admit that at the beginning I wasn't here for Kagome," he then turned to look at Kaede pleading with her with his eyes. "But you've got to believe me that it's only Kagome that keeps me here now. There's no other reason for me to be here. Coach Myoga doesn't even know that I am here." He didn't feel the need to add that if Myoga found out where he was that he'd be kicked off the UCLA team. He didn't want to give Kaede a reason to call up Myoga and rid the UCLA team of one of its key members before their showdown match with the rival USC team.

"Then you admit to spying on my team," added Coach Kaede as she looked at Inuyasha with a cold glint in her good eye.

Inuyasha swallowed and his Adam's apple momentarily bobbed. In front of him was a very powerful miko who could easily purify his ass. "But I didn't tell them anything important. Honestly, I didn't even really look at the rest of your team. I kept on being distracted by Kagome."

"Oh, you call it distraction do you?" murmured Kaede. "I would call Kagome more than a distraction."

'Ash' leaned forward and spoke with desperation in his voice. "That was the wrong word. I'm sorry. I love her Kaede. I really do. I'm just scared. Give me time."

Kaede paused to bring up her hand in a placating gesture. "You will tell me what you have told Myoga about my team," said Coach Kaede with a tone of voice that would leave no room for argument.

"I didn't say much. I told them some of your hand gestures that I saw." Inuyasha proceeded to show her the few hand gestures he had caught and then related to his UCLA team. "I told them Miroku was a letch and that he was dating Sango. I never told them anything about Kagome."

"I see," said Kaede. "Then to be fair you must tell me about your team. I don't need to know about your team's signals, just tell me about your players: Sesshoumaru and Koga. What can you tell me that I do not already know?"

"I can't tell you…," spoke Inuyasha as his anger started to rise.

"Quid pro quo, Inuyasha," added Kaede. "It is only fair. They have been told about my team, now you will tell me about yours." Coach Kaede made no threats but she turned her attention to the young miko running around the track.

"You wouldn't!" 'Ash' almost yelled as he stood up and then he choked in an attempt to get his voice back down so that Kagome wouldn't suspect anything.

Kaede only turned to face him. "I said nothing. You only made assumptions. I don't have Myoga's dishonor. Now clear your conscience and tell me about your team," she demanded.

'Ash' was visibly shaken as he tried to sit back down on the cold metal bench. "Koga's fast, but Sesshoumaru is even faster. I've never seen a demon as fast as Sesshomaru. Sesshoumaru's confidence can be his undoing. He doesn't see humans as worthy opponents. Koga's weakness is that he is easily tricked or fooled. He's not a very smart demon and he smells. They even had to bend a few rules to get him into college and on our team," Inuyasha paused hoping that that was enough information to satisfy Coach Kaede.

"I see," said Kaede softly as she stood up. "You have one week. No more, no less. You will tell her before the Rose Bowl tournament." She turned to look at 'Ash' once more. "If you do not…," she left the words trailing behind her as Inuyasha tried to not bury his head in frustration.

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

'Ash' felt an almost palatable unease wafting through the air tonight. His own shoulders were tense, his own words were shorter and more clipped than normal. Even Kagome seemed to echo his feelings. Tonight she was more distant, lost in her own thoughts and all he could make out of her was a worry that seemed to knit her brows in discomfort.

His motorcycle soon pulled up to the 'House of Blues' on the Sunset strip. He knew that it was a high-class establishment, but he couldn't help but note the irony that it looked like a club from a backstreet bayou. Rickety fencing grew from either side of the walkway out front and the club appeared to have been built with driftwood. However, he had seen the inside of the club: it had hardwood floors, expensive wood paneling and a top of the line sound system with the promise of fame for almost any band that played there.

Kagome was hugging his back. She seemed to almost cling to him, as if he was a lifeline that kept her alive—a lifeline that she just couldn't seem to let go. As he took off his helmet he felt her arms slowly unwinding from his back and then he felt her familiar warmth receding to be replaced by the cool evening air. It almost hurt to have her pull away. To have the closeness of her touch fade away to coolness. He heard her sigh as she took off her helmet and he had to look at her with bittersweet longing as he saw her raven tresses cascade down her back, pooling right above the buttery brown leather on her hips.

"Kagome. Is there something wrong?" he asked as he placed a hand under her chin and pulled her forward. He wanted—no, he needed to get close to her again. There was something about her entire demeanor that begged him to fix it and make it right. If only he knew what it was that he was supposed to fix.

The young woman clad in brown leather pants and a silver corset only blinked her brown eyes in confusion as if she had been brought out of a daze. "Oh, I'm sorry Ash. I've been lost in thought. There's something I need to do tonight and it's had me…well, nervous."

He kissed her tenderly on her lips, brushing his lips against her, breathing gently against her skin and begging her to open up to him. "What has made you nervous?" he felt her entire body relaxing in his arms as he continued to placate her with scattered kisses.

"I need to end things tonight. This will be the last time that you take me to a show or a band practice. I can't do this anymore," she answered with heartfelt sorrow.

His own heart lurched as her words danced across his mind. "End things? What'd you mean?" 'How? Why?' he thought desperately.

She grasped his two large hands in her smaller ones and brought them up to her lips so that she could kiss them. "It's better this way Ash. Things can't continue the way they were with this band. Trust me. I'm doing this for you," she added as she stepped off of the bike and walked away from him.

He stood there on his motorbike confused, trembling and downright fearful as he watched her backside slip into the front door. "No," he murmured as he gunned his bike and found a location in a nearby alleyway. 'There's no way she's going to leave me,' he thought. 'There's no way she can give up on me.' With barely contained anger he rifled through his backpack to find the clothes he was going to wear this evening. Black leather pants and a black wife beater. He changed quickly in the alleyway, cussing every other second as he tried to pull on the fucking leather jeans. 'Damn it,' he screamed to himself!

His anger seethed inside of him as he walked in through the backdoor of the House of Blues. He could sense the skittishness of his band mates when he walked in. His sudden anger and fear were subtly diminished by the warm evocative scent of Kagome wafting past his senses. He clenched his fists and breathed in deeply, letting the cooling sensation of her scent cascade over his body. His hands started to relax and the stiffness of his neck faded away.

Each band member eyed him unsteadily from Koga to Ginta to Hakkaku. But it was Kagome that had his heart in a lurch. She wouldn't even look at him. That was not going to happen! He marched on over to her and put his hand under her chin again, daring her to look up and meet his eyes. "Why aren't you looking at me, Kagome? What's going on?"

Her beautiful brown eyes stared back at him reflecting the twin images of himself in her eyes. He was bewildered by the sorrow, sadness and longing that he saw in her eyes. It pained him so much to look at her that he dropped her chin as he continued to stare at her with a questioning gaze.

"It's nothing," she said as her eyes screamed that she was lying. She took a deep breath. "OK. Guys, it's time to get ready for the show," She clapped nervously and the rest of his band mates took this as a cue to assemble on stage. Suddenly the air of tension dropped as the practiced manner of a professional stage presence overcame each and every one of them. They moved only on instinct and practiced ease as they tuned their instruments and made sure that everything was wired correctly before the show started.

Inuyasha was amazed to see how professional the House of Blues was. He normally had to scramble last minute before a show to plug in a piece of equipment or to make sure the sound was perfect. For the first time in his life when playing on stage he noted that the club had actually done everything correctly. His unease receded to the back of his mind as his game face took over. He was going to give them a show tonight and he was going to make Kagome see why she should never leave him or the band. Somehow now that she was a part of his band, he couldn't see her leaving--ever. They worked too well together and honestly, without her life wouldn't be the same. Somehow, when he didn't notice, she had become an integral part of his life. She was his light, a lifeline, his muse, his love—his Kagome.

Inuyasha strummed his guitar to get the audiences attention. This crowd wasn't as rowdy or as young as he was used to. The people in the audience seemed trendy, if not older—but they were more subdued. It would take a lot of work to win over this tough crowd. He only smirked. Inuyasha loved a challenge.

He stepped forward into the red and blue lights that washed over him and the stage. Then a solitary red light played over his features making him look more demonic than he already was. Inuyasha drew up to the stage microphone and introduced his band in a blustery manner and after nodding to his band mates, he started to strum his guitar to their opening piece, an angst ridden song by Daughtry, 'Feels Like Tonight'.

Soon his strumming was joined by a steady drumbeat by Hakkaku. Then Koga and Ginta joined in adding their guitar rhythm to the growing crescendo of music. It almost caught him as a surprise to hear Kagome's voice stream over the speakers. Her voice seemed both heartbroken and sad as her words drifted with the loneliness of the tune.

_You, you got me  
Thinking it'll be alright.  
You, you told me,  
"Come and take a look inside."_

Inuyasha quickly took over with his verse. He tried to sing without any deep emotions, but the guilt of never telling her the truth crept into his voice. Why in the hell did they pick a song tonight about lying and a relationship that was failing?

_You believed me,_  
_In every single lie._  
_But I, I failed you this time._

As he sang, the words leapt out of his throat by their own violation. Sadness and desperation tinged his words as he sang. Then Inuyasha and Kagome sang the main chorus together. Their words seemed more like cries that wore an aching rhythm of blues, sadness and longing. He drew out each word slowly and painfully with each line.

_And it feels like tonight._  
_I can't believe I'm broken inside._  
_Can't you see that there's nothing that I wanna do,_  
_But try to make it up to you?_  
_And it feels like tonight,_  
_Tonight..._

After a deep breath Kagome was ready to sing her next verse. Her entire demeanor changed from sadness to acceptance. It was as if she had resigned herself to something. What had made her change? And why did she seem so sad?

_I was waiting_  
_For the day you'd come around._  
_I was chasing,_  
_And nothing was all I found._

His verse quickly followed from the tail end of hers. He couldn't help but to think about how much his life had changed since Kagome had entered into it. Before she came, he thought he was happy. He thought that proving himself to Sesshoumaru, proving himself to his team, even his school was enough. His one driving ambition had been to play on a national demonic team and he realized how blind he had been. He had been so intent on proving himself that he had lost sense of something deeper in his life. Truthfully he had just been pushing on with an empty soul, an emptiness that was devoid of meaning and love. Then there was Kagome and she turned everything upside down. Now he loved her and nothing would ever be the same again, no matter what happened.

He sang with soul and yearning. Inuyasha hoped deep inside that she could tell that he meant the very words that he was singing.

_From the moment you came into my life,_  
_You showed me what's right._

He made his way up to her place on the stage, playing his guitar and moving up next to her to sing into her microphone. He wanted to see her reaction to his voice and her lyrics. Did he affect her? Did she know what she did to him? His eyes gazed deeply into hers, capturing them in his dark honeyed orbs. Her doe-like brown eyes seemed caught like a deer in a car's headlights. She tried to look away, but couldn't seem to resist his gaze as he finished singing his lines.

_I never felt like this before.  
Just when I leave, I'm back for more.  
Nothing else here seems to matter.  
In these ever-changing days,  
You're the one thing that remains.  
I could stay like this forever._

He wouldn't let her go, he continued to sing into the same microphone as they finished their song. Soon both of their voices peeled into the music and the thumping beat. Hakkaku hit the drums harshly to build up the rhythm and to finish up the song on a deep and needy crescendo.

_'Cause there's nothing that I wanna do,_  
_But try to make it up to you._  
_And it feels like tonight._  
_Tonight…_

Kagome's voice trailed off as they sang "tonight". Her eyes still gazed up at his and then she backed up away from him, as if seeking to separate herself from him. Her hands struggled to find something behind her and once they landed on her keyboard she turned around with a jerk keeping her head squarely ahead of her and toward the audience.

They continued to sing the songs of their set, finishing off another five songs. Soon the entire hall was enthralled and moving to the beat of the guitars and drum. They played Nickelback, the Police, Seether, Korn and Metallica. Inuyasha felt himself lost in the music and the electricity of the crowd reacting to their music. The vibrations moved through him, into other band members, into the crowd and back again to energize him. Through every song he kept an eye on Kagome and when he could he would sing words in her microphone if he felt the lyrics pertained to her and how he felt about her. He wanted his voice, his body and his energy to let her know how he felt about her. If he couldn't tell her directly he would try every other way possible to let her know that he loved her and that he didn't want her to ever leave his life.

All too soon it was over and the final song was played. He let out a deep breath as both himself and the rest of the band bowed to cheers and clapping. There was something about the synergy of Kagome and him playing together. Their voices, rhythms, music, bodies just seemed in tune with each other. Somehow this energy could coalesce into a stream of music that was something more than any music his band had ever produced before. He had been sailing before, but with Kagome he was soaring.

He turned to look at her, his eyes soft as he reached down to bring her hand up to his lips to kiss it. Then with her hand in his he brought it up in the air as if in praise.

"Let's hear it for Kagome, a lovely and talented musician!" he yelled over the din of the audience. They screamed, cheered and somehow the calls urged him on to do something that he could only do on stage. He placed a hand around her waist and another hand around her head as he dipped her on the center stage and gently brought her body parallel to the floor as he kissed her gently on the lips.

She quaked in his arms and he even heard her heartbeat pounding above the roar of the crowd as his lips pressed against hers. Her body was flush and warm, her lips wet and moist, her breath was shaky and hesitant. He kissed her again as her eyes widened. His lips left hers with blue and red lights streaming over both of them, the crowd still hooting. She looked up at him in confusion as she flushed even deeper and stilled in his arms. He brought her up next to him and pulled her close as he smirked at her.

Suddenly her expression changed as she shrugged his arms away and walked off the stage. "Kagome!" he yelled as he made his way after her.

Slowly, tear filled brown orbs met his golden ones and a solitary tear streaked down the side of her face. "I can't go on like this Inuyasha. I can't let that continue." She pulled away from him to address the entire band. "This was all supposed to be temporary. I never promised any of you that I'd stay in your band. You were supposed to find yourself another singer. The only reason why I stayed here was because Ash asked me to."

Inuyasha started to growl. "You can't leave the band Kagome."

The teary eyed miko only cocked her head to the side as if in weariness. "I have to, for Ash. What you did wasn't right Inuyasha and it can't continue."

"What do you mean, 'wasn't right'?" snapped Inuyasha and he almost immediately regretted his words and his tone. He watched Kagome visibly wince in front of him.

"You know what I mean, Inuyasha," added Kagome.

"It's not right that I want you or it's not right that you want me?" asked Inuyasha.

"What?" murmured Kagome in astonishment.

"Your lips say one thing and your body tells me something else," murmured Inuyasha huskily. "Do you know that when you get close to me your scent changes?" Inuyasha sniffed the air tentatively. "It becomes more spicy…"

Kagome's eyes widened. "No…"

He continued, "and your pulse quickens, just as it is doing now. Your heart starts to beat erratically if I get too close …" Inuyasha moved his body up next to hers, the gentle softness of her warm bosom pressed sweetly against his hard chest. He could hear the quick thumping of her heart start to pound as he moved next to her.

A single tear started to drop from Kagome's eye. "No…"

"Tell me the truth Kagome. Is it me you fear or yourself?"

She looked at him dumbfounded and then her lips parted on their own violation. "Myself…," she answered. "It's not right..." She looked away from him and stared at the ground as she licked her own lips.

Her red wet lips called to him. He licked his own lips in response and ghosted his lips over hers. "Kagome. If it's not right, then why do you react the way you do?"

"No!" she cried as he moved on past him, running toward the front door.

Inuyasha sighed. He'd have to go after her and this time it would probably only be 'Ash' who could talk some sense into her. He didn't even bother to change anything but his shirt as he put on his silver ring and made his way quickly to the front door that Kagome had passed through only a minute ago.

He was fuming with both frustration and madness when he found her teary-eyed face waiting near the front entrance of the club. Suddenly his breath stilled as she fell into his arms crying as if her heart had just been broken.

"Ash," she sobbed as she gripped his shirt tightly in her hands. She twisted the fabric and her tears made the front of his red shirt wet.

His hands tentatively found their way around her waist to cradle her. "Kagome, what's wrong?" he asked knowing all along exactly why she was so upset.

"It's nothing," she lied as she continued to cry.

"No, it's not nothing," he said as he put one hand under her chin to bring her face up to his. "This has gone on too long Kagome. I need to tell you the truth."

Her lovely face was puffy with tears as she leaned to the side and questioned, "The truth? What are you talking about Ash?" She buried her face into his shirt again to sob and hiccup.

"Kagome," he paused as he looked around to notice there was a large crowd around them. "Let's go somewhere else so that I can talk to you alone."

"Alright," she agreed as she tried to wipe her tears away with the palms of her hand. He held her slim shoulders within his as he led her past the crowd to the back of the club. When he felt like there was enough privacy he pulled Kagome close to him again.

"Kagome, I want to say I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what Ash?"

"I…I should have told you earlier…I…," murmured 'Ash' as he tried to wipe another tear from her face.

"Ah, there you are whore!" yelled the familiar voice of a demoness.

'Ash' turned to face a red-eyed demoness who was seething in anger. "Yura!" he called out. "Get away from her!"

Yura stood with a snarl on her face wearing a black mini-skirt and black boots. Next to her were two male demons: one had short blonde spiky hair and the other had shaggy shoulder length black hair. Both male demons had glowing red eyes and had their arms crossed.

"What?" asked Kagome. "How do you know Yura?" Then she turned to look at Yura in confusion.

"I'm here to teach the little bitch a lesson. There's too much of Inuyasha's scent on her." Then Yura started to sniff the air and 'Ash' stiffened. Yura's eyes narrowed. "Why do you also smell like Inuyasha? Is it a ménage a trois or are you…? You!" she seethed in recognition. "Boys, I'm going to need some help teaching this bitch a lesson."

'Ash' immediately pulled Kagome behind him as he faced Yura and the two demons that flanked either side of her.

"Ash, you can't fight them!" yelled Kagome. "Let me fight! I've been trained."

"I'm protecting you Kagome," said 'Ash' as he grinded his teeth together.

"Yura baby, they're just humans. What's the sport in attacking them?" said a demon with short spiky bright yellow hair.

"Just hurt the girl. I want to teach her to not mess with what was mine!" yelled Yura. "I'm going to settle things with him!" she screamed as she pointed at 'Ash'.

"What's going on Ash? What's she talking about?" asked Kagome plaintively.

'Ash' chanced a glance behind him to give her a sad smile. "Please forgive me Kagome," he asked as he took the silver ring off of his finger. He could only hear her gasp in surprise as his ears shifted from the sides of his head and inched up to the top of his head. His black hair became gray and then shifted into a shiny silver color. He flexed his hands to see that blunt and ineffective fingernails had become razor sharp claws. He turned to face Yura and the two panther demons. "Back down!" he yelled. "Do you know who you are up against?"

Yura only growled as she ran against him trying to slice her long claws across his stomach. Inuyasha knew that he could dodge the blow, but that would have left Kagome to face Yura's claws. So, Inuyasha willingly took the blow as his fist met with her face and shattered her nose as it made contact. Her body flew back away from him and skidded on the wooden floor, blood oozing from her nose.

Inuyasha sniffed the air. The two male demons were panthers. 'Shit, I hate feline demons,' he thought as he flexed his claws.

The panther demon with the short spiky hair immediately surged forward to attack the half demon. Inuyasha would have normally outmaneuvered him, but he was cornered and had Kagome to protect. The panther demon took one swipe against Inuyasha's form and while he was distracted with one attack, the other hand jammed his claws into his stomach and then wrenched itself free. Blood and chunks of his flesh splattered across the hardwood floor.

"Ash!? Inuyasha?" cried out Kagome in confusion behind him.

"Fight!" someone screamed. "Call the cops!" came another voice.

Inuyasha wretched and blood spewed out of his mouth. It dripped down the sides of his face, his neck and even onto his silver hair. His side throbbed and ached in pain. "Blades of Blood" he cried as he reached into his own wound and tore his own blood from his body to create multiple red knives that erupted from his flinging claws. The panther demon in front of him fell backwards, lacerated, unmoving and in a pool of his own blood.

"Run away Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled as he leapt towards the other panther demon with the shaggy black hair. His next opponent was more wary and less cocky. This demon was able to grasp Inuyasha's hands in his as they battled for superiority. Inuyasha kicked him in the stomach and the panther demon spun away.

Somewhere on the edge of his vision he made out Yura getting up and pinching her nose before she glared with venom behind him. "Little whore!" she cried as her blood red eyes seethed in anger and her entire body propelled itself forward.

Inuyasha could only hear a loud thump as Yura undoubtedly made contact with Kagome. He turned to look behind him and was happy to see that Kagome's Taekwondo training had actually paid off. Even though the human miko was facing a far quicker, stronger and more agile opponent—she had somehow managed to side step Yura's furious attack. Inuyasha could only surmise that Yura's anger and inexperience at fighting had given Kagome an advantage. 'Damn, at least her miko training paid off tonight,' he thought wryly.

A hard blow fell across the back of his head. "You should always keep your eyes on your opponent, half-breed!" yelled the panther who was grinning cruelly through his blood red claws. Inuyasha quickly recovered to land a flying kick into the man's gut and the demon doubled over in pain. With a swipe of his claws Inuyasha rendered long gash marks across the demons belly, causing the panther to groan. Then he saw the panther demon's eyes flash into a ruby red and he knew that the fight was going to turn ugly. With a snarl, the panther demon leapt up and slammed into his body. Before Inuyasha could respond the demon bit down hard onto his shoulder blade, opening up a large artery. Inuyasha felt his lifeblood spilling onto the floor. The two demons had trouble staying upright for the floor had become slippery with red-black blood. The thick scent of blood filled Inuyasha's nostrils, calling to his demon side. Inuyasha tried to take a deep calming breath, but more of the coppery smell drifted into his senses—calling his own beast to the surface. It was only with years of practiced self-control that Inuyasha was able to keep his own demon at bay. He knew his amber eyes were now tinged with red.

"Get away from here!" Inuyasha shrieked as he dove his claws into the torso of the panther demon in front of him and then pulled his claws back—splattering the demons blood against a wooden wall.

The panther in front of him wavered, his face twisted in a grimace and his arm clutching his side.

Suddenly there was a loud shriek behind him. "Kagome!" Inuyasha screamed as he ran towards the miko who was trying to defend herself.

Kagome had tried to keep her distance from the demoness, but Yura had gotten too close and now she had Kagome. Inuyasha noted the wire-like threads of hair that Yura had around Kagome's neck and how her hands only needed to pull the string taut and her head would be sliced off. Kagome made a horrible choking noise.

"Yura! Get away from her!" Inuyasha yelled as he ran forward.

"No, I want to hurt her," grinned Yura malevolently as she ran her tongue down Kagome's throat. "Don't worry I won't kill her. I'm just going to maim her pretty face with my claws."

Kagome choked again as Inuyasha got closer. When he was inches away from the smirking Yura, he felt his body being snapped backward. "Shit!" Inuyasha screamed as he realized the panther demon had decided to fight again. He felt a hard kick in his gut and felt his side being lanced with claws. Despite being engaged in a fight Inuyasha chanced a glance behind to see how Kagome was faring. Hers eyes widened in terror and Yura's eyes glinted with malice.

With every passing moment Inuyasha found it growing more difficult to fight off the growling demon inside of him as it pulled ever closer to the surface. He felt another clawed rip across his back as he stared at Kagome's chocolate brown eyes when something inside of him snapped. The blood flowing from his body was calling to his demonic self. He felt his body pulse and his demon started to take over. Without his Tessaiga at his side, there was no way that his demon blood could be kept in check.

His golden eyes refocused and started to bleed red, purple strips appeared on his cheeks and his own fangs and claws lengthened. This time Inuyasha growled with a feral rage. Someone was trying to hurt his bitch and he would protect her. His eyes only saw red as he attacked the panther demon. He didn't truly remember everything that happened next. He let his instincts take over as he sliced his opponent and impaled him with his claws. Blood was flying everywhere and it made him smile. There was nothing like warm flesh pumping up precious coppery fluid. It made him feel alive. He listened to the heartbeat of his opponent—which was starting to slow. He could only grin and smirk. That was what they got for trying to attack his bitch.

He then turned forward to look at Yura who was gasping in horror. She had just threatened his bitch and she was going to pay. Kagome was HIS! Yura's claws were poised menacingly above Kagome's face. He saw Kagome's eyes cross as she tried to focus on the razor sharp nails perched above her face. "This is your last warning Yura, get away or you will really get hurt!" yelled Kagome.

"Human bitch! You can't hurt me!" laughed Yura as she prepared to swipe her claws against Kagome's face.

Inuyasha lunged forward in an attempt to stop her claws when he saw Kagome's body explode with a pink light. Yura was the first to shriek and have her burning body flung away by the sudden pulse of sacred energy. Then the outer edge of the purifying energy coursed through him--electrifying every nerve, making him scream in pain. His body convulsed in agony as the red haze left his eyes and soon it was only darkness that overtook him. The last memory he had was his body hitting the blood drenched floor. He took one final breath that contained both the gentle sweet scent of Kagome and the coppery salty scent of fresh blood. Then nothing…

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Next Chapter:**__ Spiraling Downward: If you thought this chapter was angsty, wait until the next one…Ah, I can't stand it!!!_

_**Please read and review. It inspires me to write more chapters!**_

_**See you in two weeks!**_

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Private messages were sent to all reviewers.**_

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Author's Notes:**_

_#1: Daughtry: "Feels Like Tonight" played repeatedly on iTunes while I wrote this chapter's band scene._

_#2: Boy, it was hard to write this chapter. It's longer than any of my previous chapters and I find it hard to write angst._

_#3: Thank you everyone for your recommendations for a love song for Inuyasha to sing to Kagome. Here are the recommendations: "Promise You" by the Backstreet Boys, All or Nothing by Theory Of A Deadman, Crush by David Archuleta, Tongue Tied by Faber Drive, When I'm With You by Faber Drive, 'Take Another Little Piece of My Heart' by Janis Joplin, and Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls.  
Out of these suggestions I have already chosen one of these songs for Chapter 25 or 26. But you'll have to wait until then to see who won._

_#4: If you couldn't figure it out from this chapter Kagome is really confused. She's in love with 'Ash' yet she is sexually attracted to 'Inuyasha'. And underneath it all her heart seems to know they are both the same person though her head is telling her something else… But now she knows…what's going to happen next?_

_#5: A couple of reading recommendations: Heart's Landfill by Simonkal of Inuy which is a modern day AU Inu/Kag romance. You won't be disappointed. All I can tell you is that it's great and that I'm on the edge of my seat. The author is fantastic and the romance/angst is palatable. I oftentimes find myself re-reading entire sections of her story. And after years of people telling me to read 'Tales from the House of the Moon' by Resmiranda (a Sess/Kag romance) I finally broke down and read it. Just so you know I loathe Sess/Kag romances and I enjoyed this one. It was funny, serious and sexy—and probably one of the best written Inuyasha fanficts out there. Too bad that it wasn't Inu/Kag—but you can't win them all…_

_#6: My beta asked me what songs were sung by 'Immortal Sin' during their gig in this chapter. The songs are all on my angst playlist on iTunes: Daughtry-Feels Like Tonight, Nickelback-Faraway, Police-Don't Stand So Close to Me (1986), Seether-Broken, Korn-Freak on a Leash and Metallica-Nothing Else Matters._


	21. Chapter 21: Spiraling Downward

**Chapter 21: Spiraling Downward**

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Special thanks to my betas: Theleb K'aarna and blackdeathmessenger! **_

_**Remember—it's always the darkest just before dawn…**_

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Inuyasha's white dog ears flickered to pick up the sounds around him and he breathed in the smell of antiseptic, bleach and plastic.

'Hospital', he thought.

Somewhere in the back of his senses he even detected the trace scent of Kagome. He breathed in deeply. She had been here and that made something inside of him feel warm. But why was her scent so faint? Why wasn't she here now? And why did the salty scent of her tears seem to assault his senses even more strongly than her scent? He then picked up the strong smell of his older brother and his coach.

"Sesshomaru. Coach Myoga," he said out loud as he turned his head to peer at the pair who were sitting near the hospital door.

"I was wondering when you would wake up, little brother," said Sesshomaru impassively with his hands folded over his chest.

Inuyasha tugged on his left arm to see an IV needle inserted into a blood vein in his wrist. He looked at the needle dully as he noted the plastic line of straw colored fluid and his red blood mixing between it before it ended in a bag suspended above him. His entire body smarted, his stomach still felt weak and his nerve endings tingled. What had happened?

Distant memories of being in a fight with three demons echoed through the foggy recesses of his mind. There were two panther demons and one had impaled him in the gut. However, he felt that he was missing something vitally important. Something about Kagome…

"I'm glad that you have finally come to," added Myoga with a look of concern passing on by his face. "You were lucky that you were away from Kagome's purification blast. That other female demon was badly burned. I'm glad that you heal so fast. The injuries that you and the other demons suffered would have killed a mere human."

The elder dog demon snorted. "As if we are mere humans," said Sesshomaru condescendingly.

Myoga only started to laugh. "Ah ha! I forgot who I was talking to. The two Tashio brothers would never suffer from human frailties."

They were talking about humans and that made him realize who was missing from the room. "Kagome! Is she OK? Where is she?" he asked as his voice started to rise in panic. Suddenly, memories from the club and how Yura had attacked Kagome came to the front of his mind. Even more poignant was the memory of her gasp as he took off his silver ring and her confused cries. Kagome knew! Kagome now knew that 'Ash' and 'Inuyasha' were the same person. He hoped to the Gods that she wasn't going to kill him now. Her last purification blast still made him ache. He only hoped that he could stay on her good side.

Sesshomaru simply snorted again. "That stupid human miko? I sent her crying out of here."

"What?" yelled Inuyasha as he looked at his brother.

Myoga just looked at them both in confusion before he reached over to Inuyasha and slapped a friendly hand on his shoulder. "Oh, he's just saying that he told the girl that you had no need of her anymore now that your spying mission was done. Right Sesshomaru?" asked Myoga.

"Hn," Sesshomaru actually smiled and a fang started to overlap his lip in a cruel grin. "And that she was no more than a fuck to him."

"No!" yelled Inuyasha in exasperation. "You didn't!"

Myoga looked at Inuyasha nonplussed. "You needed to get rid of her didn't you? We simply helped in the process. Besides, we can't have you hanging around the USC team anymore."

"What did you tell her Sesshomaru?!" exclaimed Inuyasha as he clenched his hands into fisted drawing blood from his claws.

Seshomaru only raised an eyebrow and looked decidedly annoyed with the outburst. "Nothing you haven't already told me…. How you wanted to fuck her and humiliate her…"

"No!" cried Inuyasha as he pulled the IV from his wrist and looked around wildly for his clothes. He tried to get up, but felt his entire body protesting the movement.

"I brought some fresh clothes from home," said Sesshomaru in a bored tone as he pointed to a metal dresser on the far corner of the room.

All Inuyasha could hear was his own heartbeat pounding within his chest as he pulled on a pair of faded blue jeans and a navy blue sweatshirt. His body still ached, but he needed to see Kagome. He needed to explain everything to her. Panic lanced his being with every heartbeat and he had to fight the bile that was collecting at the back of his throat.

"Where are you going?" asked Myoga who was started to become concerned. "You should be lying down to recover. You need to be at your top shape for the game versus USC--it's only two days away."

"Fuck the game!" yelled Inuyasha. "I need to see Kagome!"

Myoga took a step back in shock while Sesshomaru looked as bored as always. "I have forbidden you from seeing anyone on the USC team. Coach Kaede might figure out who you are…," Myoga's voice trailed off.

Inuyasha turned to glare at Myoga. "Kaede already knows, Coach. She knows who I am. She knows that you sent me to spy on her team." He turned to make his way out of the room.

"What?!" choked out Myoga. "Boy, get back here! You will not see Kagome. The board will kick you off the team."

"Fuck the board!" yelled Inuyasha as he ran out of the room and down the antiseptic and white colored hospital corridor.

"Did I just hear that boy correctly?" asked Myoga.

"Hn," was all that he could hear out of Sesshomaru, who didn't seem the least bit fazed by the recent turn of events.

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

Inuyasha found that his chest was pounding against his ribcage and his breath came out short and ragged. He was bounding across the rooftops of downtown Los Angeles and was trying to make his way to USC. He had never traveled this route before on anything other than his motorcycle and he was quite sure that he would be paying a stiff fine if the cops caught him doing this, but he really didn't care.

There was only one thing that mattered to him right now, and that was seeing Kagome and explaining everything to her. He had no idea how long he had been unconscious, but he could only imagine what she thought about him after Sesshomaru had told her the awful truth. The truth that his relationship with her had all started as a sick attempt to use her for information and then humiliate her.

'Things have changed,' he reasoned. 'Doesn't she know that she means everything to me? How could she believe Sesshomaru?' he thought. Somewhere in the back of his mind an ugly voice said, 'because it was the truth…'

He winced at his own thoughts. Somewhere inside of him he found solace in another truth. He loved her. He needed her. Surely that truth would win out over his past sins. Surely, she would believe him…?

He was so lost in thought that he barely noticed the front gates of USC as he leapt past them in a furious bolt of speed. Now he only needed to get to Cromwell field.

His own breath stilled in his chest as he gazed out of the fields and looked for Kagome. The entire Holy Shikon Order of USC was out practicing. He noted for the first time that they were wearing their formal fighting gear. The mikos were dressed in red hakama pants and white tops, the monks were wearing their robes and the demon slayers were wearing their black ninja gi's with plated armor. He couldn't find Kagome anywhere is the crowd as he surveyed the field, but he did see Miroku in his black and red robes.

Without a second to spare he was at Miroku's side. "Where is Kagome, Miroku? I need to speak with her," he inquired with urgency.

Inuyasha should have realized when Miroku's eyes looked at him with fury that something was wrong. "What's…what's going on Miroku? Where's Kagome?" Inuyasha stuttered as he took a step back from a man that he was starting to consider a friend.

He finally noticed the entire field of holy players staring at him or gasping in shock. That was when he sheepishly noted that for the first time he had shown up as a hanyou. His silver hair, amber eyes and small dog-like ears easily marked him as being a half-demon. He gulped. Neither demons nor half-demons had ever been welcomed to the 'Holy' USC campus.

Inuyasha felt a slap against his back and turned to notice that Miroku had placed an ofuda* there. His feet collapsed from underneath him as he crumpled to the ground, kneeling. Miroku rapped his head smartly with his golden Shakujo* staff. "You liar!" he yelled.

"What was that for Miroku?" asked Inuyasha as he cringed at the abuse.

"What was that for?! You spied on our team! You lied to Kagome and used her!"

"I did not use Kagome!" yelled Inuyasha.

"You deny lying to her?"

"Feh…I didn't mean to. I…I was trying to tell her the truth when we were attacked."

Sango stepped forward and looked very menacing with her Hiraikotsu strapped to her back. "You used my best friend and toyed with her emotions. I should geld you!" screamed the demon slayer.

"That won't be necessary," a faint feminine voice murmured.

Inuyasha looked up to see Kagome standing a few meters in front of him. She was garbed in her miko robes and her long wavy tresses were drawn up into a ponytail. The first thing that he noticed was her lowered face. It was a face without hope, a face of hurt and betrayal.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha exclaimed as he looked upon Kagome. He was so happy to see her. When he had woken up in the hospital without her, he had felt so lost. But here she was before him and he vowed to make everything right. He desperately smiled at her, only to have his grin falter at her somber and sad countenance.

"Seal him, Kagome!" yelled Sango as Inuyasha winced at the thought.

Kagome paused to raise her head to look directly at him, her face devoid of any emotion, though obviously hurt. She seemed almost numb as she brought up her bow and took an arrow from her quiver to aim it at him.

"He deserves it Kagome! Shoot him and we'll dump him on the UCLA grounds!" yelled Sango.

Her form wavered and she almost seemed to sniff as she leveled her arrow directly at him.

"You, you used me. You never cared about me…," she said in a monotone voice.

"No! Kagome, don't believe that! I care about you, I…,"

She stomped down her foot. "Stop it!" she yelled. "How long were you spying on my team? How long were you using me? Is this all just some sick game to you?!"

"No, Kagome. I…yes, at the beginning I was spying, but things changed…," he answered honestly.

"You even admit it," she said with a harsh bitterness in her tone. Her arrow never wavered from him and her face was starting to seethe in rage. "Sesshomaru said you just wanted to fuck and humiliate me. Is that what you did? That night I passed out in my room… Did you…" She choked as Sango drew near to her and placed a firm hand on Kagome's shoulder. "Did you take advantage of me? Was there rohypnol in my drink that night? Did you drug me before the last game?"

"No, Kagome! I wouldn't do that to you. I've always wanted you, but not that way. I wouldn't!"

"Stop it! Your hair was on my bed the next day! You're a liar!"

"I'm not lying to you Kagome," he pleaded.

Kagome nearly sobbed, but managed to keep back the tears and her bow steady. "How can I ever trust you again? How can I know what is the truth and what is a lie?"

"Kagome listen to me. There is one final thing I can tell you—to see that I'm telling the truth. Myoga is planning on hiring an actress on the day of the Rose Bowl game. She will tell Miroku that he was the father of her child." He paused and noticed Miroku stiffing next to him. "I have no reason to tell you that if all I wanted to do was hurt you or your team. Believe me, please! You mean everything to me!" Inuyasha pleaded.

Tears crept down her cheeks and he saw the redness of her eyes.

"Lies, you have always been lying to me!" her arrow notched in her bow. She drew the string taut and a bright blue-white flare erupted from the arrow. She looked him directly in the eyes as she aimed it at his heart. Teary deer-like orbs met golden amber.

"Kagome," was all he could murmur as he swallowed and stared at her with desperation in his features.

"Shoot him!" encouraged Sango who stood beside her. "He betrayed you! He hurt you! Hurt him back!"

Another sob fell from Kagome's lips as her grip on her arrow faltered and the flare of sacred power slowly flickered away. "I can't, Sango. I can't!" was all she murmured as she dropped her bow and arrow and fled from the field.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled as she ran away from him. "Don't leave Kagome!"

"Leave us, everyone. Practice is done for today!" commanded Coach Kaede as she approached Inuyasha who was kneeling next to Miroku on the grassy field.

"Are you sure?" murmured the monk in calm acceptance.

"Yes, I am sure Miroku," said the coach softly. "Go ahead and get dressed. We have to be prepared for the big game."

Once everyone had cleared from the field, Coach Kaede spoke to him. "Well, you managed to destroy every faith that Kagome had once held in you. You have also managed to disrupt my entire team only two days before our big tournament. Are you happy?"

"No," Inuyasha moaned. "I just want Kagome," he whispered.

"What about winning the Rose Bowl cup?"

"Fuck the game," answered Inuyasha.

"Is it true what you said about Miroku?"

"About…?" asked Inuyasha.

"About how Coach Myoga hired an actress to say that Miroku was the father of her child?"

"Oi, they are hiring a girl who has a baby with black hair. They want her to talk to Miroku before the game while Sango is around and then declare that he is the father of her child."

"So Myoga means to destroy our morale before the game?"

"Oi," replied Inuyasha.

"Hummm, you have managed to do just that. Was that Myoga's intent?" asked Coach Kaede sagely.

"No, I didn't mean to do anything but to speak to Kagome. I need to see her. Please release me."

The elderly miko sighed. "I'm afraid that even if I permitted it, that she wouldn't be ready to speak to you right now. You've broken her heart."

"I…I love her Kaede. I didn't mean to hurt her. I want to make everything right. Please let me..."

"You have done plenty for now, Inuyasha. You need to let her temper cool. Wait until after the game to approach her. She will not listen to reason right now."

"But…!"

Kaede stepped over to his back to pull off the ofuda. "Remember my words, Inuyasha. You have made a mess out of this situation. Let tempers cool before you try to contact her again."

Inuyasha only nodded dumbly as he stood up. "Goodbye Kaede," he murmured as he leapt off of the field.

"Goodbye Inuyasha," added Coach Kaede.

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

Inuyasha sat alone in his apartment drinking. He sighed as he ran his fingers through his black hair and his violet eyes gazed to an end table at his right where an empty sake bottle stood. In his hand was his second sake bottle and he was trying to empty this one as well. He laughed with a bitter tone, unable to hold it in any longer. He only choked back a sob as he took another swig from the sake bottle. He figured eventually the sake would dull his mind and take away his pain. The pain was too deeply entrenched within his own heart to be diffused by time or any amount of distance.

He looked wryly at the silver ring on his finger and snorted. Even though he was rarely affected by alcohol, it was only in his human form that he even had a chance of getting drunk. It was a chance to forget about everything that had happened. To forget how badly he had screwed up--to forget about a certain raven haired miko by the name of Kagome, even if it was only temporary.

"Fuck!" he muttered as he looked at the opaque blue sake bottles. His father had given him the expensive rice wine in celebration for making it on the UCLA Demonic team. He rarely drank since it didn't affect him and honestly, he never really appreciated the nearly tasteless but highly potent liquid. However, for tonight…for tonight…it was the perfect drink--tasteless and with the promise of forgetfulness.

It's too bad that he still remembered her. Still remembered how she looked, still remembered how badly he wanted her, and still remembered how much he loved her…

He took another swig out of the bottle. The alcohol was having some affects on him. The sharp piercing pain he had felt yesterday actually felt only like the dull throb of brokenness. Now if he could only finish this bottle off. Maybe a second bottle would make him forget Kagome forever. He really couldn't think of anything else that could take away the pain or his loss--the loss of never having Kagome in his life again. He had screwed up big and he knew it. The sad thing was that his love for her had made him a better man in the end. He was a bitter and angry hanyou when he met her. Then he had become something more. For the first time since his mother's death he had been at peace, he was happy and felt 'whole'—as if she somehow completed him. But now that she had rejected him, it felt like his own soul had been ripped apart. He laughed dejectedly to himself. 'I'm still a bitter, angry fuck,' he thought to himself, taking another drink of sake. 'The only difference is now my heart is broken.'

He tried to feel sorry for himself and somewhere in the depths of his mind he decided that he deserved to have her reject him. The only reason he had even sought her out was to spy on her team. The only thing that had kept him with her originally was just to seduce and use the girl. He had never meant to fall in love with her. 'I just couldn't help it,' he thought bitterly to himself. 'Stupid wench was too nice, too sweet, too beautiful...'

Inuyasha turned to look at the billboard that was above his bed. Some of the corkboard was covered with newspaper and magazine articles about the UCLA demonic team and their various victories over the past two years. An increasing portion of the board was covered with pictures of Kagome. Some pictures were press photos and other sports photos that he had found online. However, his favorite photo was one taken from Kagome's fanclub. He had found the fanclub website online over a month ago and was amazed at how many photos of Kagome were collected under their banner. One of her fans had managed to follow her to the beach and had taken a very nice shot of her. He reached up to his billboard and took down the color print out. She was standing on the Santa Monica beach trying to towel dry her long onyx colored tresses and she was standing in a small turquoise bikini. He traced over her figure with his finger. Her legs were long and toned, her skin was flawless and tan, her abdomen concave and tight, her hips were wide and shapely and her nicely shaped breasts were barely contained by a string turquoise top. His eyes lingered over her figure for a few seconds longer before he threw her photo on the floor and picked up his bottle of sake again.

He swallowed another draught of the burning viscous liquid. The velvet heat of the sake stung as it traveled down his throat, but he didn't let that stop him from drinking more. His head was spinning and for once, his aching and throbbing head overpowered the dull pain of his heart.

He didn't really remember much else except a dull blackness that overcame him as he fell into a dreamless sleep.

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

Suddenly he felt two hands shaking him awake. Something really hurt. His eyes hurt whenever he opened them, they felt like dried orbs behind his eyelids and his head ached. His brain felt like a lead weight pressing down on his eyes and forehead. He needed something to drink.

He blinked and the daylight burned his eyes, so he brought his arms up to cover his face. His throat was parched and he licked his dry chapped lips.

"Inuyasha! Wake up!" the voice said coldly. Whoever was talking to him seemed familiar. He managed to fully open his eyes to gaze at a man with long silver hair and cool amber eyes.

"Sessy…leave…ayone," slurred Inuyasha as he tried to swat him away like an annoying fly.

Something started to tug at the ring on his finger and then it came off. Suddenly his senses returned to him and the staggering headache that was ripping through his skull only intensified. As Inuyasha's demonic blood started to course through his veins again, he felt the throbbing pain in his head and the numbness of his mind slowly start to fade away. He was sobering up at a speed that could only be described as demonic.

Sesshomaru's hands gripped his shirt more firmly this time and managed to lift Inuyasha off of the ground. "You're coming with me little brother," Sesshomaru intoned as he pulled Inuyasha toward the bathroom and sat him down on the toilet. Water started to crash down on the other side of the shower room stall, but he paid no attention to it. His mind was floating along in pain and forgetfulness. For some reason he couldn't even recall how he had gotten to his apartment or why his older brother was there with him.

Strong hands lifted him up with a jerk and then shoved him under the ice cold water.

His eyes immediately opened wide. "What the fuck Sesshomaru!? I still have my clothes on!" He looked down to see his drenched jeans and navy sweatshirt as he shivered.

"I am aware of that little brother," drawled Sesshomaru. "When you didn't show up for our morning team practice, Coach Myoga had me come get you."

"Oh, Myoga…," sputtered Inuyasha. "Myoga…what?!"

As always Sesshomaru sounded bored. "Do you know what day it is Inuyasha?"

"No," said Inuyasha petulantly as he tried to move away from the cold blast of water that was cascading all over him.

"Today is the Rose Bowl. Do you know what that means?"

Inuyasha only sputtered in the cold shower. Ever since he had been young, Inuyasha had dreamed of joining a demonic team to play at the Rose Bowl. Every year, after the sports season had ended, only the best two college teams competed in the highest attended game of the season. This year he would be a top contender in a stadium that could hold over 90,000 screaming fans. He smiled dumbly until a stray thought crashed through his brain like an avalanche. 'Kagome…,' was all he thought as his grin faded to a pained grimace.

"I don't care. I'm not playing," responded Inuyasha.

All of a sudden Sesshomaru's glowing gold eyes flickered with red and Inuyasha was slapped hard across the face. He fell against the far side of the shower stall and fell under the waterfall of ice cold water again. "You will play half-breed! Myoga could have kicked you off of the team for the stunts you pulled. However, he foolishly let you stay."

He didn't even try to resist as his own brother pulled him out of the shower and then into his room to get dressed. "Get your team uniform on. Now!" Sesshomaru commanded.

Inuyasha only sloshed around his room in his wet clothes to pick out his red haori overcoat, white juban and red hakama pants. He was leaving a pool of water on the carpeted floor of his bedroom, but he really didn't care.

He changed into his dry red uniform as he glared at his brother. He supposed that he really shouldn't be too angry with Sesshomaru, after all he was only trying to get Inuyasha to the very game he had dreamed about for most of his life. But somehow his dream had twisted into a nightmare; deep inside, he knew that he neither cared nor desired to be playing at the Rose Bowl. Kagome had rejected him and she was going to be there—likely fighting against him.

Inuyasha paused as he tied up his obi and secured his Tessaiga. Kagome would be there... That meant he might have a chance to talk to her again and explain things. Or maybe, he swallowed, he should just let her seal him away like she had almost done when he had seen her last. He had been sealed a few times in his demonic playing career and the entire idea of drifting into suspended animation frightened him immensely. However, now the concept appealed to him. If she actually sealed him away, then he would no longer be in pain—he would only be drifting away into darkness. He just had to make sure that she never pulled the arrow out.

He nodded to himself as a plan hatched in his mind. With a new purpose, he strolled out of his room, his head high and with a look of steadfast purpose on his face. Nothing was going to stop him now that he knew what he wanted. Nothing.

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Next Chapter:**__ A Grudging Loss: (Yes, that's the name of the next chapter.) This is my favorite chapter so far. I think it's the chapter that everyone is waiting for. I promise the angst is almost over. I swear this gets better…_

_**Please read and review. It inspires me to write more chapters!**_

_**See you in one week (yes, I'm taking pity on all of you—I don't think you could wait that long after this chapter)!**_

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Private messages were sent to all reviewers.**_

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Author's Notes:**_

_#1: Ofuda (Spell Scrolls) Buddhist's monks holy scrolls that Can be used to paralyze youkai and create barriers.  
Shakujo (Holy Staff) Miroku's staff, known as a Shakujo, is a metal staff with a circular golden charm on the top. He actually used the staff to block the Tessaiga._

_#2: OK. Three cheers for hedanicree who actually predicted in her review many chapters back that Inuyasha was liable to get sealed by Kagome for what he was doing. Oh, how true it was. Even if she didn't actually seal him, she was planning on it. I think hedanicree should actually get a prize for it. I just have to think of one…_


	22. Chapter 22: A Grudging Loss

**Chapter 22: A Grudging Loss**

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_Did I ever mention that I have some awesome betas? Profuse thanks and bows for:  
Hedanicree (a wonderful journalist who stepped in with some great ideas that helped to increase the angst), Theleb K'aarna (who called in his edits over the phone while on an Army shooting range) and blackdeathmessenger (who caught some edits that even my other two betas missed)!_

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Rose Bowl Preview**_

A sportscaster with slick black hair was dressed in a navy blue suit with a sky blue tie. He was getting ready to interview the coaches of USC and UCLA. Next to him was an elderly miko who wore an eye patch and had her thin gray hair drawn up in a long ponytail behind her. The cool January breeze gently brushed up against the trio and caused her flowing miko robes to rustle in the wind. Next to her was a short squat man with wispy gray hair. This dwarf of a man was wearing black slacks and a white polo shirt. Behind the group was the grassy green end zone and field goal of the Rose Bowl Stadium.

"Good morning and welcome viewers to the Rose Bowl Preview Show. This is Steve Hartman and we're here on location at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on this beautiful clear New Years Day.

"With me is Kaede Maknamara who coaches the USC Holy Shikon Order and Myoga Morita coach of UCLA's Demon Dream Team.

"I thought I would start by asking Coach Maknamara a few questions. How is your team holding up to the pressure of the Rose Bowl?" Steve Hartman stepped forward to put his mike near her.

"Exceedingly well, Steve," said Kaede with an air of professionalism. Then she paused for a brief moment to glare at Coach Myoga. Her tone quickly changed to subdued anger. "Especially with the many roadblocks that UCLA has put up this year in an attempt to undermine my team." Coach Myoga stiffened beside her and his face twisted momentarily to a grimace before he smoothed his face back into a fixed smile.

The sportsman looked at Coach Kaede quizzically. "What do you mean by roadblocks from UCLA Coach?"

Kaede took a deep breath and turned her cool face to Steve. "UCLA has been doing everything possible behind the scenes this year to disrupt my team. All I can say is that my players have persevered against some very cruel stunts."

"Do you care to elaborate on that, Coach Maknamara?" Myoga nearly choked when the question was asked. His eyes quickly shifted from one side to the other as the interview continued.

"No, you can simply ask Coach Morita about it when you interview him," added Kaede coolly.

The sportscaster only raised an eyebrow as he tried to keep a smile plastered across his face as he continued with his questioning. "All right. Then tell me about Kagome Higurashi. She's your youngest player and was down with a broken rib. Is she back up to 100 percent?"

"Kagome has been amazing this year, especially since it is her first year playing a college sport. Yes, she is back and she's healthy. We worked together combining our own miko healing abilities in order to heal her quickly. She'll be playing today and might I add that she has a bone to pick with UCLA. She's ready to win this one."

"The last time you met UCLA you defeated them, do you think your team can do it again?" asked the sportsman.

"Absolutely, Steve. They have never been more prepared and dare I say never more motivated to take down UCLA." Coach Kaede simply crossed her arms when she was done talking and looked directly at her rival, Coach Myoga.

Steve Hartman looked surprised as he turned to face the other coach of UCLA. Myoga's face bore a plastic grin and his entire body stood rigid.

"Now to Coach Morita. How has your team been doing this season?"

Myoga looked warily at Kaede before he smiled at the sportscaster and forced his body to relax. "Oh, I'm proud of my boys. They have been fantastic this year! I'm going to be very sad to see Sesshomaru Taisho leave after this year, his final season. But I think we all know that he's going to have a bright future with the National Demonic League."

"And what about your other players, the sophomores Inuyasha Taisho and Koga Okami?"

"As always Koga is quick, feisty and hard to take down. Inuyasha is determined, tireless and tenacious. I am very proud of the trio from my Class 'A' team."

"The last time UCLA met USC on the field it was your only loss of the year. How can you come back this time and win against them?"

Coach Myoga frowned before answering. "I think it took a game or two for my team to find its edge. We have been undefeated since our loss to USC in the first game of the season. My boys are tough and we're going to give USC a run for their money," answered Coach Myoga with determination.

"Finally, Coach Kaede mentioned some cruel stunts that UCLA has pulled this year. Any comments?" asked the interviewer with curiosity in his eyes.

Coach Morita simply brushed back a small tuft of gray hair with his hand and he tried not to frown. "I…I don't know what Coach Kaede is talking about," he answered nervously.

The sportscaster stared pointedly at Myoga before turning his head toward the camera and grinning broadly. "OK, folks. There you have it! The cross-town rivals, USC and UCLA will be battling it out here today at the Rose Bowl to see who really is _the_ 'Number One' college team in America! Only one team can win and only one team can walk off with the famed Lexus Gauntlet and the Rose Bowl Champions trophy. Now a word from our sponsor…"

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**The Rose Bowl Game  
Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, CA  
USC (University of Shikon Cadets)  
vs. UCLA (Universal College for the Lost Arts)**_

The Santa Ana winds whipped the flags that crested over the top of the Rose Bowl Stadium. Dropping down further into the stands thousands of fans were in an uproar, screaming and cheering for their respective teams. One side of the stadium was littered with red and yellow—the other side decked out in navy blue and gold. Shouts could easily be heard over the din of the crowd, "Go SC!" "Beat the Bruin Bear Cubs!" "Shikon Sucks!" "Fight on Bears!"

The fans had already been brought into a frenzy by the many matches that had already been played today. The Class 'C' and Class 'B' teams had already made it onto the field. USC's team had defeated UCLA during the Class 'C' match and UCLA had trounced the opposing team during the Class 'B' match. Now everyone was waiting for the final match of the game when the top Class 'A' teams from USC and UCLA would finally meet up and the fireworks would start. Every event that had taken place before was only a brief prelude to the main event that was about to take place.

The crowds from either end of the stadium were already screaming and heckling their opposing team. The rivalry that faced the two colleges was more akin to unadulterated hate than friendly bickering. Not only were the two teams within ten miles of each other, not only did both have superb athletics departments—they were also exact opposites. One campus drew the 'holy warriors' while the other campus attracted 'demonic fighters'. They weren't just rivals, they were natural enemies.

A voice started echoing across the crowd as the announcer spoke. "Ladies and gentlemen. The final fight of the afternoon, what you have all been waiting for: the battle between the Class 'A' teams of USC and UCLA. It is the ultimate battle of yin and yang—holy versus demonic.

"Now from the visiting holy team of the University of Shikon Cadets is team captain, Miroku Moroboshi, the monk!"

Screams erupted from the stands as a tall man in monk's black and red robes marched onto the field holding a golden shakujo staff. The electronic billboards flashed his team photo that showed a smirking young man with a glint of lechery in his eyes. However, the cameras that were picking up the man walking through the stadium caught a different scene. This monk was beside himself with anger. Every step he took belied grim determination.

"Next for USC is Sango Taijiya, the demon slayer, and Kagome Higurashi, the miko arriving on Kirara, the demon cat!"

The billboards again erupted with pictures of two lithe and beautiful dark-haired women. Both of their press photos showed them smiling coyly, but as the camera zoomed in on them, today their faces bore grimaces and their eyes glinted like steel. The miko, who sat behind the demon slayer, was especially hardened as she gripped her bow possessively in her arms.

"And for the demonic home team of the Universal College for the Lost Arts, we have team captain, Sesshomaru Taisho!"

The blue and gold sections of the crowd roared with approval when their team captain made his way onto the stadium. Images of a very self-assured pale-faced demon blinked onto the screens as the elegant dog demon floated onto the stadium floor with his white fur pelt trailing behind him. He was wearing a stylish white kimono with a silver spiked breastplate and an elaborate yellow and blue obi that had two katanas tucked inside. Once he landed, Sesshomaru brushed his long silver locks to the side as a throng of women and even some men from the crowd sighed.

"Next we have his brother, Inuyasha Taisho!"

The home team crowd from the blue and gold sections continued to scream as the screens changed again. Now pictures of a cocky looking silver-haired half-demon flexing his claws were being displayed all over the stadium billboards. However, the man walking across the stadium grass looked almost hesitant and deep in thought. He had no swagger to his step; however, he did walk with a steady purpose with his golden eyes focused on the miko on the opposite end of the field.

He could already smell her scent. The gentle breeze lifted the aroma of cherry blossoms and jasmine to him. He could almost taste her scent on his tongue. Her perfume relaxed him and at the same time had him desperately wanting to be close to her. It was so strange that her scent would affect him so much and how her scent out of the thousands of people at the stadium today would be overpowering everything around him.

"And last but not least is the wolf demon, Koga Okami!"

Images of a self-assured demon with tan skin, long black hair and wearing furs flitted across the electric screens. Koga's cerulean blue eyes dazzled the fans, which were overshadowed by his fangs that peeked over his grinning lips. Just as the images crossed the screens a whirlwind snapped across the stadium racing to join Sesshomaru and Inuyasha. When the mini-hurricane stopped, Koga took an exaggerated bow and waved at the fans. The blue and gold sections grew even wilder as one of their team members finally acknowledged them.

Sesshomaru spoke slowly and deliberately to his two teammates before the game began. "I will take down the miko, Inuyasha you will take down the monk and Koga will take down the demon slayer."

Koga simply grinned and put up two fingers as a salute, however Inuyasha started to protest. Inuyasha's body stiffened as he tried to stave off the panic that was rapidly enveloping his being. He gritted his teeth before he spoke. "No, Sesshomaru, I need to face Kagome…," said Inuyasha with some trepidation.

"I don't think you can handle it, little brother. I will take out the miko," said Sesshomaru with no emotion.

Inuyasha knew that he wouldn't get anywhere with his current line of reasoning. Sesshomaru wouldn't let him take on Kagome as an opponent if he felt Inuyasha was too emotionally weak to fight and possibly injure her. Inuyasha steeled his resolve as he switched tactics. He could only fight Kagome if he took on the same cold, calculating manner that his older brother possessed. "Feh, the bitch refused me and now I want to make her pay," bragged Inuyasha as he cracked his knuckles and flexed his claws under Sesshomaru's impassioned glare.

Koga blinked in surprise. "You can't mean Kagome…," he asked as his voice trailed off.

Sesshomaru responded with a cold sneer. "If you think you would be best equipped to take her down," Sesshomaru paused as he peered directly into his brother's eyes. Sesshomaru's cold amber eyes met a pair of determined and almost emotionless orbs. "Hn, make USC pay for our last defeat, little brother. Show her no mercy."

"Oi, Sesshomaru," responded Inuyasha with an equally cold stare as Koga looked on with growing alarm.

Koga's dark blue eyes widened and his body jerked back in shock. "Hey, you can't mean that. Don't hurt the girl! She's part of our band," murmured Koga.

"Part of your rock band?" asked Sesshomaru with impassivity mirrored on his face. Inuyasha knew that this look of serene calmness only hid the violent depths of anger if his elder brother became enflamed.

'Shit!' thought Inuyasha. 'I almost had him. I need to give myself a heart of ice. I still need to convince him.' Inuyasha looked up at his brother as he gripped his sword tightly. "Not anymore. She left our band. I'm finished with her."

Fangs gleamed as the older dog demon smiled, "Good," responded Sesshomaru. "Now make the bitch pay. I'll take the monk and you'll take down the miko."

Koga was simply stuttering in surprise as the opening shot rocked the stadium and their team sprung into action.

Sesshomaru flew with impressive speed and landed right in front of the monk. Before Miroku had a second to breathe, the dog demon's Bakusaiga* was freed from it's sheath and was about to make contact with his chest. With surprising reflexes, the monk countered the attack with his shakujo staff. The golden rings at the end of the staff rung and echoed across the stadium as the two fighters squared off. Miroku's eyes glinted with anger as he parried the first attack and then swiftly hit down hard with a counterstrike that surprised the dog demon.

"You set me up! You have no honor!" yelled Miroku. "Having an actress pose before me and my girlfriend, saying she bore me a child."

Sesshomaru's impassioned face sneered in response. "If you didn't have such a reputation for asking women to bear your child, the opportunity wouldn't have presented itself."

"You admit to it then, demon!" yelled Miroku as his staff clanged again against the demon's own sword.

"Hn," was all that Sesshomaru answered as his lightening fast attacks increased in speed and the monk was finding it increasingly difficult to parry every strike. It was only Miroku's own anger that was letting him stay on par with the demon. One mistake, one delayed response and this fight would be over.

Koga only lost a second of time as he bounded quickly after the demon slayer who was taking to the sky on the cat demon's back. Sango lifted her demon boomerang and yelled, "Hiraikotsu!" The human-sized bone boomerang whizzed through the air. Koga ducked into a crouch and the weapon grazed his hair as it flew above him. The boomerang then whipped around to return to its owner. Sango was seething as she sat on her demonic mount. "Your team is the lowest most dishonest bunch of demons I have ever met!" she yelled as her boomerang sang forth from her arms again and Koga attempted to run and dodge again.

"What are you yelling at me for? What did I do?" questioned Koga in absolute confusion as the rabid demon slayer closed in on his back.

"You guys spied on our team, used Kagome and tried to break my boyfriend and I up!"

"What?!" exclaimed Koga as he ducked again. The boomerang barely missed the top of his head. "Remind me to never piss her off," Koga murmured to himself as he jumped towards the demon cat that was floating above the stadium.

Right in the middle of his leap, Koga made contact with the demon slayer and tackled her. Soon the wolf-demon and the slayer were falling from the back of the demon cat and were about to hit the hard ground below.

Koga knew that a human would most likely break a few bones with such a fall—and if Sango sustained such a serious injury, he knew that he would be instantly disqualified—so he tucked Sango within his arms and took the brunt of the impact when they hit the ground. The demon slayer rolled away from him groaning, and the wolf demon quickly stood up with a smirk on his face. He flexed his claws and rolled his neck as he prepared to duel Sango again.

The wolf-demon was fast and his claws made a swipe across her abdomen, which was luckily covered in demon plate armor. Sango could only clutch her gut in pain as the demon before her continued to grin. "Had enough demon slayer?" asked Koga as he paused from attacking the human girl in front of him.

Sango didn't say anything. She only sneered at him as she pulled a pouch out of her shoulder armor and threw it at him. Suddenly, green and gray fumes erupted from where the pouch landed.

"Gah!" screamed Koga as the overload on his olfactory senses caused him to careen over. The wolf demon spasmed in a cacophony of coughs as Sango ran up to him and hit him over the head with the flat of her blade. Soon the wolf demon was unconscious and the demon slayer ran with all of her might in order to help her boyfriend fight off the lightning fast dog demon that was wearing him down.

Across the field, Kagome the miko stood impassively with her bow drawn, and Inuyasha stood meters away from her, his face expressionless. Their eyes bored into each other and took in the sight of each other. Inuyasha could tell that Kagome was livid with anger, as her arrow was held taut within the bowstring. Inuyasha's face held only a hidden smile. There was no sorrow, anger, fear or happiness on his face. The half-demon started to walk forward and at no time did he ever threaten the miko. He simply walked steadily and with purpose over to where the miko stood. As he drew even closer he could smell her scent more clearly, it wrapped around him—clogging his senses—destroying any coherent thought. All he knew or could focus on was her and how much he wanted her. Because he couldn't have her, then the very least she could do for him was to end his pain.

"Don't come any closer or I will seal you away!" screamed Kagome as she aimed her arrow straight at Inuyasha.

Inuyasha noticed that her petit form trembled almost imperceptibly and her bow wavered as she took aim at his heart. Her face was red with anger or was it some other emotion that she didn't dare express? He studied her face for what he thought would be the last time. She was always pretty when she was angry. Her chocolate eyes were on fire with rage, her cheeks were flush and her lower lip quivered. It was too bad that her livid anger also made her unattainable. There was really only one course of action left.

The faint smile on the half demons face, twisted to pity and then acceptance as he took yet another step forward. It was his fate to be sealed by the woman he loved. He now found some sort of sad peace within his heart as his cheerless golden eyes fixed upon her deer brown orbs. If she was going to reject him, if he had to live the rest of his life without her—then this was the only way he would find any peace within his heart.

"I warned you Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed. She let an arrow fly loose from her bow and then quickly grabbed another arrow that she launched in quick succession.

Inuyasha gasped as an arrow hit him above his right shoulder, pinning him to the wooden billboard behind him. Then another arrow hit above his left shoulder.

He had been expecting the final blow. He had thought that he would be floating in an eternal black sleep by now. Why had she only immobilized him? Was she just playing with him before she delivered the coup de grâce?

If these were ordinary arrows he would have been able to pull free easily, however these arrows were sacred arrows and he was powerless against them. The arrows hadn't even broken his skin, they were only pinning his haori to the billboard. He stood there looking at Kagome who stood poised in front of him, scowling, angry and drawing yet another arrow from her quill. This next arrow flamed up under her fingers. It wasn't the pink color of a sacred arrow, but the blue-white color of a sealing arrow.

Inuyasha actually smiled grimly as he recognized the arrow that she was about to send piercing into his heart. His voice quaked with emotion as he called out to her. "Go ahead Kagome. Seal me up. Just promise me, promise me you'll never pull the arrow out again," he said with eyes that pleaded with her. His amber eyes evoked sadness and unwavering truth as he gazed at her.

She was momentarily drawn aback. He was normally very emotional, yet right now he seemed sad and withdrawn. It was almost as if he really wanted her to seal him up for all eternity. Her notched arrow stood still in her arms waiting. "What do you mean? Of course I'll pull it out when the game is done."

Inuyasha looked directly at her, his eyes boring deeply into hers. His honey colored eyes held sadness, pain, longing… "Kagome, I didn't know. I didn't know until recently that I was in love with you and now you don't want me anymore. I've lived the past few days without you in my life and I can't go on any longer without you. So just seal me and promise me to never pull out the arrow." His eyes never broke with hers. "I don't want to live my life without you anymore Kagome. So just end my misery, please…" Inuyasha wanted nothing more than to find the sweet release of a dreamless darkness and she was the one he wanted to deliver it. "Please…," he intoned with a voice that was lost in hopelessness.

Kagome's arrow faltered in her bow. She almost stumbled forward as she walked toward Inuyasha, her gait unsteady and her arrow partially notched in a bow that was starting to hang to her side, rather than straight ahead of her. "What did you say?" she stammered in confusion and wonder. Her eyes made contact with his again and saw only hurt and sad acceptance in his eyes.

Inuyasha glared at her with pent up anger and frustration. His body rattled against the arrows that pinned his upper torso as he yelled. "I said seal me! Be done with it. Put the damn arrow through my heart and don't you dare pull it out! Do it now Kagome!"

She inched even closer to him. Her fingers still lancing the arrow to her bow, even as her hands trembled. "No, what you said before…you said that you… you loved me?"

Inuyasha looked up at her bitterly. "I've been in love with you for a long time, wench. Now finish the job!"

Kagome held back a sob and her bow and arrow clattered to the ground noisily. She rushed forward and fisted both of her hands into his red haori overcoat. "You love me?" she asked with eyes that pleaded. Her warm chocolate colored orbs probed into his golden eyes of sorrow as she looked for something. Something to tell her that he was telling the truth—something that was telling her that his words were not lies.

Amber eyes gazed back at her longingly, with sadness, with regret, with a small glimmer of hope and with a dazed look that could only be interpreted as one thing—love.

"Inuyasha?" she stammered as her hands reached up and cradled his face in her hands. Her face gazed at him with the same longing she had seen in his eyes. He looked to see that a single tear was making its way down her cheek and was about to drip off of her chin. Her lips were a hairsbreadth away from his own and he closed the gap by stretching his throat forward. Thin masculine lips met round feminine lips wet with tears and they gasped before their lips clashed together.

Somehow when their lips met there was redemption, desperation and the pure satisfying taste of unconditional love. Inuyasha kissed her as if she was the last woman he would ever kiss. Perhaps he thought that might very well be the case. He savored every breath, every touch of her tongue, every sweet taste of her mouth that came alive as his own tongue probed against hers. As they kissed he continued to gasp as if he was out of breath or simply too surprised by the turn of events to breathe normally. Between kisses he found that her hands left his face and were moving up towards the top of his haori overcoat. Soon he felt a pulling motion as the two arrows tumbled to the ground and then he felt the magical purity of the arrows that had pinned him fade away. He was able to move again and he found that his two arms only wanted to find purchase by grasping Kagome's arms in his. He held her possessively by her shoulders, drawing her into him.

The stadium started to rock in extreme agitation. There were some who delighted in the passionate kiss that was being played out before their eyes--while most of the crowd was incensed that the players were not fighting each other. "What are you doing Tashio?" yelled a UCLA fan. "Purify him!" screamed an angry student from USC. There were also some members of the crowd that were simply confused. "Don't worry he's about to use the Tendo Dojo super-secret poison kiss move! It's part of the plan," said another with a self-satisfied tone in his voice. As the crowd muttered and shouted the two players on the field were lost within their own little world.

Their mouths continued to clash, suck and probe oblivious to the cries that surrounded them. Finally above the din of the crowd they heard a nauseated battle cry from the far end of the stadium.

Sesshomaru was busy battling both the monk and the demon slayer. He was quite certain that Miroku was tiring and would soon be defeated, however when Sango joined in the fight the monk seemed to be fighting with renewed strength. He snarled in frustration as he slashed angrily at the demon slayer. She fell to her knees, clutching her gut in pain and all of the sudden the monk fell apart.

"Sango!" screamed Miroku in worry, as the demon slayer was knocked unconscious to the ground.

Sesshomaru only grinned in victory as the monk had stopped fighting and also had taken his attention off of him. The dog demon dropped his sword and kicked the monk viciously in the gut. Then as he held the monk's head in one hand he punched him hard once more only to see blood spurt out of his mouth. Miroku's body went limp and fell to the ground.

The Rose Bowl was within UCLA's reach. His younger brother only had to finish off one human miko, and they could clutch victory in their hands. As he smirked at their success he spied the end of the field where he had been expecting to see Kagome struck down mercilessly by Inuyasha. The utter shock of what he saw caused his golden eyes to be lit with an angry flame.

His younger brother wasn't fighting his opponent; instead he was kissing her at the far end of the stadium. With disgust evident in his voice he yelled at his brother and made his way to where they stood. "Half breed! How dare you dishonor our college and sport!" screamed out Sesshomaru as he flew quickly towards the couple.

Inuyasha didn't think as he shoved Kagome behind him, her bow and arrows long forgotten, as they lay scattered over the stadium grass. "You're not touching her, Sesshomaru."

"But Inuyasha…," exclaimed Kagome from behind his back.

"Just, just let me protect you, Kagome…," Inuyasha murmured. Somehow, the act of protecting Kagome made him feel redeemed. It was as if every sin he had ever committed against her would be washed clean if he just stood by and protected her from this day forward, even if it was a college game, even if it meant that he would most likely be kicked off of his team—even if it meant that he would never be able to play on a national demonic team. As the thoughts swirled through his brain, he quickly realized that he could live with a world where he wasn't a superstar for a national team, but he couldn't live in a world without Kagome. If he could throw away his career so that she could see exactly how much she meant to him, then there really wasn't much of a choice. Was there?

Sesshomaru's attack was as quick as lightening. Inuyasha had only a split second to throw Kagome aside as he took the brunt of the blow. The younger Tashio fell meters away, hitting the ground hard as he cleared out a small swath of grass and dirt. Inuyasha flexed his claws as he got up off the grass and prepared to meet his own brother. They had sparred for years and he knew exactly what to expect, only today Sesshomaru had a decidedly different demeanor. His older brother was still an iceman, but his entire countenance was of rage. Rage was something Inuyasha could work with, especially now that he finally had hope pumping through his veins. He was no longer the lovesick, weak puppy that Sesshomaru had found in his apartment drinking himself into oblivion. Now he knew that Kagome had somehow forgiven him, that somehow he had a chance with her again and that had made all the difference. He now had something worth fighting for—someone who he could protect.

Inuyasha growled as he leapt into the fray, snarling and clashing with his older brother as claws slashed against claws. Poisonous, green tipped claws oozed with the promise of pain as Inuyasha's smaller, but no less determined claws blocked them. Each swipe by one brother was offset by an equally fierce counterattack of the other sibling. Growls and insults careened through the stadium as the crowd went wild in shock.

Suddenly, out of nowhere Kagome appeared close to Inuyasha's side. She didn't have her bow, but she held a single ofuda in her outstretched hands. Apparently she had been given one by the monk and simply had it hidden in her kimono.

When Sesshomaru saw an easier target making itself known he eyed the smaller form of the miko. "We will end this now, little brother. If I take her down, this tournament will end and UCLA will win." The elder Tashio slashed hard against Inuyasha's chest as green poisonous vapors hissed against his brother's skin--raking his flesh. Inuyasha stumbled only for a few moments, but it was all Sesshomaru needed as he maneuvered directly in front of Kagome—expecting an easy mark.

Perhaps it was Sesshomaru's own overconfidence that was his undoing. He actually paused before making a swipe at the miko. He intended to regale her with his demonic superiority and to insult the priestess for her human weaknesses. That subtle pause, while only a brief second, was all Kagome needed to slap the ofuda right on the aristocratic demon's forehead.

Inuyasha didn't know what was funnier, seeing his elder brother taken down by a helpless human wench or seeing the look of wonder and horror on his brother's face as he stumbled to the ground, his own body suddenly paralyzed by the holy writ.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha cried out as he quickly leapt in front of her and then embraced her in a bear hug that lifted her off of the ground. "Wench…," he murmured again softly as he stroked her hair and gazed into her eyes, wanting the moment to last forever and wishing that reality wouldn't crash into them too quickly. Unfortunately reality decided to rear its ugly head right then and there.

"Inuyasha! Stop this right now. Take down the miko!" yelled Coach Myoga from the sidelines.

Inuyasha merely smirked and stroked Kagome's cheek as he found the greatest amount of peace that he had ever found in his heart since his early childhood. Somehow just having her here in his arms, made everything right. "They want me to fight you, wench," murmured Inuyasha as his lips hovered over hers.

"You can take me down if you wanted to," said Kagome as her hands found their way into his red haori again.

"I…I found that you're the only thing I want, Kagome. Just please don't ever give up on me. I love you," he said solemnly as his hands stroked her cheeks.

"I love you, too, Inuyasha," replied Kagome tears starting to stream down her cheeks again. "Just promise me. Promise that you'll never lie to me again. I don't think I could be with you if you ever lied to me again."

Golden eyes gazed down into hers in wistful yearning. "I promise. I will never lie to you again. If I ever do that you can just seal me away."

"Don't…don't say that," murmured Kagome. "Just kiss me," she asked.

Inuyasha complied and for the first time, he noticed the entire stadium letting loose with the most raucous roar he had ever heard in his two-year history with the UCLA demonic team. As their tongues danced they heard yells, hoots, laughter, cries of anger and especially the never-ending screams of Coach Myoga who was now storming onto the field.

"My boy! I said to take her down! Now! Your entire future is at stake."

Inuyasha smiled and continued to stroke Kagome's cheeks as he pulled away from a gentle kiss. "Yes, you're right. My entire future is at stake," then Inuyasha continued with a much louder voice, "Coach, I hereby resign from the UCLA team. I found something far more important, and her name is Kagome."

"What! You lovesick dog! Stop it right now!" yelled Coach Myoga as he ran ever closer to the lone couple that was centered on the 50-yard line in the middle of the grassy field.

"I think we should get out of here," murmured Inuyasha.

Kagome looked around in confusion. "I don't see any way that we can get out of here without being mobbed."

"I know a way," he laughed as he bent down in front of her. "Here, climb on my back. I'll leap out of the stadium. They won't be able to catch us."

Kagome smiled and crept onto his back. Then he stood up and clutched her thighs against his form possessively. With one bold leap he cleared the stadium and they found themselves high on a parapet above the crowd. Inuyasha took one last look at the stupefied crowd below them that was still roaring in excitement. 'This is the last time that I will ever play at the 'Rose Bowl Stadium,' he thought. His mind was momentarily saddened before he felt Kagome squeeze her small arms around his torso. Her simple touch resounded through his body, filling him with warmth. His lips curved into a smirk as he made another grand leap into the Los Angeles skyline and the world of concrete, steel and glass.

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Happy Thanksgiving! See you in two weeks.**_

_**Private messages were sent to all reviewers.**_

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Author's Notes:**  
Hello and Good Morning from Seattle, WA! I flew up to visit relatives for Thanksgiving and I didn't think that I would be able to have Internet access while I was here. However, some of the lovely neighbors who live nearby inadvertently let me log into their non-password protected wireless networks and today you'll get another post! (Wow! It pays to live near Microsoft employees. I had __**twelve**__ wireless networks to choose from! Egad!) Also, a big warm hello to my Canadian readers! I wanted to drive to Canada and visit, but I am told that I need my passport these days! Drat! I loved the good old days when you could just drive across the border and no one cared._

_Oh and for those of you who don't know about Thanksgiving, it is an American holiday where we visit with relatives, eat Turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, pumpkin pie and (on my table) some fine Californian wine. It's a time of the year where we try to stop and give thanks for what we have and there is always so much that we have to be thankful for._

_#1: Gosh, guys. Sorry that I made some of you cry when you read the last chapter. I hope the angst wasn't too much for some of you. It had to happen. As hard as it was for you to read some of it, it was even harder for me to write._

_#2: I told you things would get better in this chapter…_

_#3: Bakusaiga: Sesshomaru's demonic sword that he used after Tokijin was destroyed._

_#4: I know... USC and UCLA are both in the PAC-10 and therefore would never play each other in the Rose Bowl. In my weird Alternative Universe I have the Demon League and the Holy League. The best teams from each college league will play each other in the Rose Bowl. USC had only one loss to Cal and UCLA had only one loss to USC. So they both won a spot in the Rose Bowl with the exact same record. Now I'm wondering how they are going to manage to score the USC vs. UCLA game that just played. Any suggestions? Who do you think won?_

_**Next Chapter:**__ Rapture: Lemony goodness. Hee hee…_


	23. Chapter 23: Rapture

**Chapter 23: Rapture**

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_Citrus alert. Beware: a lemon is on the way. Do not read if you are underage…_

~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_Special thanks to my awesome and talented betas: Hedanicree, Theleb K'aarna and Blackdeathmessenger!_

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

Inuyasha flew past the large steel and glass structures of downtown Los Angeles. He jumped from overpasses to leap from glass skyscrapers and buildings of dark tinged concrete. Deep inside, he felt content. He held the woman he loved possessively to his back, and he relished the way Kagome laughed and screamed with each leap. She seemed to enjoy their journey just as much as he was. He only hoped that no one was following them. He had tried his best to keep any trackers off of his trail, even going so far as to hide their scent by running next to smokestacks at the edge of the downtown area.

Soon, he made his final leap and landed on his apartment balcony near the UCLA campus. Kagome gently slid off of his back, and he quickly missed her warmth pressing against him. He then noticed that her scent now clung to his clothes and skin. There it was, the beautiful scent of cherry blossoms with a touch of jasmine, all around him. Her very presence made it hard for him to focus.

He didn't know quite what he was feeling now. He was so elated that she seemed to have forgiven him and wanted to be with him. Just a few short hours ago he wouldn't have thought such a thing would have been possible. More than anything he wanted Kagome, but after his previous blunders he had felt she was too far out of reach. He had even decided on being sealed by her sacred arrow over a life of living without her. But now she was here, with him…

He pulled her to himself and buried his nose in her hair, breathing in deeply. He had to prove to himself that she was there, that this was real, and that even bastards like him could actually seek and find forgiveness.

Inuyasha held her tightly against his chest, her head nestled under his chin. "Kagome…I…," he muttered into her hair.

She let out a gentle sigh and relaxed into his embrace. God, he had missed her and it had only been a couple of days. It felt like forever, like he was missing a piece of his soul and had only now recovered that missing vital fragment.

"You didn't have to do that, Inuyasha," she murmured into the fabric of his haori.

Inuyasha continued holding her close, "Didn't have to do what?" he asked in surprise as he lifted up his head.

"You didn't have to throw the game for me," Kagome said. She turned her head to rest it on his rising and falling chest. "Near the end, when Myoga was yelling at you to take me down… I was trying to give myself up to you. You didn't have to…"

Inuyasha snorted. "I needed to prove it to you, wench," he said dismissively. Kagome looked up at him in wonderment. He cocked his head to the side, peering at her, and then pulled on the white silk ponytail holder that held her hair. The white silk fell from his fingertips and her long locks fell free of their confinement to cascade down her shoulders. Beautiful black silky curls framed her face. "I had to prove that I love you. I had to prove that you mean more to me than even my career, more than my sport, more than my college…that I would do anything for you, Kagome."

Kagome's eyes started to fill with unshed tears. Her hand reached to cradle his cheek. "I believe you. I'm sorry that I doubted you," she whispered while pursing her lips. Her eyes glanced up at him tenderly and with longing.

Inuyasha's eyes met hers stubbornly and refused to let her eyes focus on anything else. His own hand covered her hand on his cheek. "No, don't apologize. I don't deserve it. I'm so sorry, Kagome. Sesshomaru and Myoga were the ones who wanted me to deceive you and your team. They are the ones who gave me the means to become human whenever I wanted to. I should have stopped it before it got out of control. But I wanted…" Inuyasha's voice quavered as he left his last words dangling between them. His eyes left hers briefly before they returned to look at her with a piercing gaze that held both stubbornness and absolute tenderness.

"You wanted?" asked Kagome as she returned his gaze with a questioning look.

"I wanted a chance with you. I wanted you to want me for me—as I really was—as Inuyasha—not as Ash," responded Inuyasha truthfully. "But since I thought I couldn't have you as I really was—I took what I could while I was 'Ash'."

Kagome's eyes were smiling even as tears crept along the edges of her eyelids. "But I had a crush on you—you Inuyasha—since I was a little kid."

"But you told me that you loved Ash," said Inuyasha dismissively. His eyes left hers and he suddenly found the ground to his side interesting.

Kagome blushed. "I did tell you that, didn't I?" she answered. "But it's still you, right? You're still the same person inside," she said soothingly as she slid her arms around him, nestling against his warmth. "It doesn't matter what you look like."

Inuyasha took a deep breath that sounded more like a sigh. "Thank you Kagome," he paused as he looked down at her. "I just needed to know that it didn't matter to you." Kagome simply smiled into his haori jacket. Inuyasha cradled her in his arms as he continued, "It was so bizarre. I put on the ring and I felt like I was someone else. My demonic abilities, my heightened senses disappeared. Yes, I was the same person deep inside, but it was as if I was looking through the world with a different set of lenses. I have never been a human before for that long. I guess it drove me a little crazy. Anyway, what bothered me the most was that I couldn't catch your scent while I was human."

Kagome looked up at him quizzically. "My scent?"

Inuyasha stepped back looked at her sheepishly and started to scratch the back of his neck. His eyes then focused on the ground again as he fidgeted. "You have a wonderful scent Kagome. When I'm human I can't smell you and it drives me crazy. I would sometimes do some pretty crazy things so that I could smell your sweet aroma."

Kagome's eyes widened. "The time we were at the shrine and you had me put on a blindfold!" she said in amazement. She then hit him in the shoulder. "What were you thinking?" she said with mild consternation. Inuyasha could tell that she wasn't really mad, just a little embarrassed at some of his earlier tactics.

Inuyasha grinned and shrugged. "I wasn't thinking. I can't think when I get a whiff of your scent."

Kagome rolled her eyes and looked down at her white haori top that was covered in rust colored fluid and yellow-green stains. Then she looked at Inuyasha and noticed his chest was covered in his blood and Sesshomaru's poison. His wounds had rubbed off on her top and she hadn't even noticed!

She gaped in surprise as she observed claw marks that had ripped up Inuyasha's white juban top and his red haori jacket. The white inner shirt was awash with blood and sickly green stains. "Inuyasha! You're injured! Why didn't you tell me?" demanded Kagome as she looked at him incredulously.

Inuyasha just shrugged as he looked down at the torn shirt with a note of mild consternation. The wound really didn't look very deep to him. What could she possibly be upset about? He looked down at her stupefied. "This? Oh, this is nothing, Kagome. It's just a scratch."

"Just a scratch?" screeched Kagome as she pulled him behind her. "Where's your bathroom? Do you have a first aid kit?"

Inuyasha simply followed in mock resignation. He raised his eyebrow at her behavior. "Demons don't need first aid. Our bathroom is up ahead on the right," answered Inuyasha as they walked past the communal living room. It had a flat screen television, a well-worn couch, various empty beer bottles and other pieces of trash strewn about.

Kagome made a right down the hallway, kicking over empty beer bottles and found her way into the bathroom. She quickly pulled off her own bloody haori top and dropped it on the countertop next to the sink. Inuyasha's heart momentarily skipped a beat at the sight. He wondered if she was going to take off any more articles of clothing.

His eyes quickly drank in the vision of the girl he loved standing in front of him with red billowing hakama pants, long flowing black hair and only a white Adidas sports bra covering her round breasts. She put her hands on his torn haori jacket and looked at him squarely in the eye; she apparently meant business.

"OK, Inuyasha take it off," Kagome commanded as she started to remove his torn top and jacket.

Inuyasha stood frozen in time as he watched Kagome move to take off his clothes. He had never seen her act so forceful; however, he found that he liked it. "Yes, ma'am," he responded with a huskiness in his voice as he moved quickly to expose his chest. He then muttered under his breath, "Is there anything else you want me to take off?"

Kagome laughed as she grabbed a towel and started to turn on the hot water in the sink. She then motioned for him to sit down on the side of the countertop.

Inuyasha huffed and tried to cross his arms in front of him, but Kagome quickly moved his arms away from his chest and the claw marks that had ripped up his flesh. "Men!" she exclaimed as if it was a cuss word. "Why don't they admit it when they are hurt?" she asked the air in exasperation.

Inuyasha snorted. "As if I need a wench to help me," he said with humor. Kagome looked up at him ready to yell for his insensitivity when her livid face met his grin and she heard his chuckle. Kagome whipped the towel at his torso and he then groaned in mock pain. She shook her head as she continued to wipe away the blood and grime from his wounds.

Happy warmth crept up inside of Inuyasha, expanding throughout his body. She was taking care of him. Not that he really needed her to take care of the minor scrapes that his brother had given him. It was simply the fact that she was here in his life. He touched her cheeks with his fingers, stroking them gingerly.

"I suppose that I should thank you for warning us about the actress that showed up today," said Kagome as she furrowed her brow at the unpleasant memory.

"I'm sorry, Kagome. I had nothing to do with it, Myoga…," answered Inuyasha in alarm.

"Shush," murmured Kagome. Two of her fingers pressed softly against his lips to silence him. "I know, and if you hadn't warned us—my best friend would have been in tears right now. Thank you." Slowly her face moved next to his and her fingers were replaced with warm, moist lips. The feeling she evoked in him was surreal. It was almost as if he was in a dream—she wasn't really here and that her tender lips were only a figment of his imagination. His mouth fell deeper into hers as he probed against something he was sure would evaporate into the mists when he awoke.

She pulled away from him gently and smiled before she continued to wipe down his chest with the hot, moist cloth. Inuyasha was perplexed at his own reaction to her ministrations. All at once he felt a tinge of pain whenever she tenderly dabbed at his wounds and a spark of desire at the nearness of her body, at the closeness of her touch. He found himself wanting her hands to roam further along his body and more than anything he wanted to do the same to her in return. Inuyasha was so preoccupied with Kagome's touch that he never even noticed that once she had cleaned away all of the green poison, that his wounds quickly knitted. Now there were only minor blemishes that hinted at an injury.

"Inuyasha," said Kagome softly. "I need you to tell me the truth."

Inuyasha moved away from her and looked at her with a question on his face. "The truth? The truth about what?"

Kagome simply showed him her finger with a silver hair wrapped around it like a ring. Inuyasha grabbed her hand and looked at it in wonder.

"You still have it? I would have thought after what I did you would rip it up," he said incredulously as he peered deeply into her eyes.

Kagome smiled and then steeled her features to look at him more firmly. "The truth, Inuyasha."

"Oh, yeah right, the truth," he answered as he swallowed nervously. "I…I promised not to lie to you didn't I?" he asked almost sheepishly. He scratched the back of his neck.

"Yes, you did," reminded Kagome as her face changed from concern to a look of anger. She glared at him as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. Inuyasha swallowed as he had the unwelcome image of a snake-haired medusa standing in front of him, ready to strike.

"Oi, don't be that way wench. I promised. I won't go back on it," he responded while bringing up his hands in front of his face. Then he brought his hands down to his side as he noticed Kagome's body relaxing, though her arms were still crossed. "OK. Here's what happened. You were drunk. I don't know how that happened; you only had three beers…"

"I never drink Inuyasha," said Kagome petulantly as she avoided his eyes.

"What do you mean never drink? The first time I saw you after the game you were getting drunk."

Kagome sighed before turning to look up at him shyly. "That was the first time I ever really drank anything and it was only because I found out that the guy I had a huge crush on hated me."

"Hated? But I didn't hate you!" protested Inuyasha as his eyes pleaded with her.

"Well, can you blame me for thinking that? After what you said? Now stop changing the subject. Tell me what happened next…," she demanded as her eyes narrowed.

"Um, well," responded Inuyasha. He looked down at his claws and tried to avoid her smoldering gaze. "I had to get you home and you were passed out in my car. It's not like I could just ring the doorbell and hand you over to your mom." He paused to look up at her eyes again in order to gauge her reaction. "She would never let me come around again. I couldn't leave you passed out at your doorstep either. So I found your room and tucked you into bed." Once Inuyasha finished, he found that he needed to take a deep breath.

"So how did your hair get into my bed?" asked Kagome as her foot tapped impatiently on the bathroom floor.

Inuyasha looked up at her sheepishly. "You know how I told you that your scent does something to me?" Kagome nodded. "Well, your scent—it just overrode everything. All I wanted to do was lie next to you. I know that I should have asked. I know that you should have been awake, but I couldn't help it."

Kagome's eyes widened and she started to pull away from him. "Did you?" she accused with shock, betrayal and anger.

"No! Kagome!" exclaimed Inuyasha as he looked at her with surprised hurt on his face. "I would never do that to you. Never!" he cried out as his eyes bored into her with sadness and frustration. "I only held you. I wanted to hold you. I wanted to have your scent wrapped around me. I wanted to be with you. Then I felt so content to lie down next to you, so happy. That was when I realized…," said Inuyasha as his eyes dropped to stare at the countertop.

"Realized what…?" Kagome prompted her own eyes awash in confusion.

"Realized that I was in love with you," muttered Inuyasha as his eyes found hers again. Kagome looked up at him dumbfounded; she placed a hand on his arm. "There I was with you in my arms. It felt so right, your gentle, calming scent wrapped around me and your body was warm next to mine. I fell asleep. I didn't mean to—I just did. Then when I woke up in the morning, I saw one of the most beautiful sights in the world."

Kagome cocked her head as if to question him.

"I saw your long wavy black hair and my silver hair mixed with each other on your pillow. Your beautiful gentle face lying so contentedly next to me... I wanted to wake up every morning just like that. Then you started to wake up and well, I panicked…"

"Panicked?" asked Kagome.

"Yeah. What would you think if you woke up to find a half-demon cradling you?"

"Hummm," added Kagome as she pulled her body close to his again. "I would have been a little surprised and maybe a little upset. But only because I was trying to stay faithful to a certain boy named, 'Ash,'" she said emphasizing her last word. "But somehow, I think deep inside I always knew that it was you. That 'Ash' and 'Inuyasha' were the same person. Maybe my head didn't know—but my heart always knew. Do you know how hard it was for me to keep on refusing your advances when you were 'Inuyasha'?"

Inuyasha quirked an eyebrow in astonishment. "No, how?"

"Very difficult," she said giving him a shy smile and twirling his silver hair in her fingers. "I had a crush on you for so long."

Tenderly and slowly Kagome's hands touched his chest again, pressing up against his pectorals. Then her lips moved to lightly brush over his lips. He felt her warm breath fall on him with feather-like softness before her lips met his and kissed him delicately. Their kiss was light and gentle as he stood up and took her into his arms. He held her as if she was only a fleeting memory that would fade away when he opened his eyes. His hands tightened around her possessively as if daring anyone else to try to take her away.

As he held her, he was overwhelmed with the feelings that rose up inside him. It was as if his heart, his very soul was too big for his own body and had swelled up to wrap itself around her. Feelings of contentment, wholeness, and unsurpassed happiness crashed down upon him in waves. The sensations were so alien to him that it was frightening.

Love. He loved her. He loved her so much it hurt. He really didn't know when he had started to love the girl in his arms, since it had all been accidental. But he wouldn't trade Kagome, or that feeling of total rapture that ravaged his mind and body for anything.

Everything seemed like a dream. He reached down to touch her cheek and pulled her chin up to look at him. He was never good with words and he was hoping that his eyes could tell her what he couldn't say. He stared at her with intense longing, need, love and desire. When she looked back up at him she seemed so fragile, yet determined. Her eyes reflected caring, love, desire, tenderness, unspoken wonder and a quiet tenseness.

"Kagome?" he asked as his lips met hers again.

"Inuyasha," she barely breathed out before her lips surrendered to his.

Inuyasha's arms hugged her closely to him and he felt her warm skin under his fingertips. She was only wearing a bra on her torso and it allowed him easy access to her succulent flesh. He wondered at her softness under his touch and her intoxicating aroma that was keeping him from any coherent thought.

His mouth crashed into her again, but this time it was more needy. Even as his tongue tried to claim every portion of the inner warmth—it wasn't enough, he wanted more, and he needed more... Something about having her there with him drove a deep need within him—a need and desire that only hours before he had given up all hope of ever attaining.

He found that his hands traveled over her body before resting against her rear. Each hand held one firm cheek as he pulled her close to him. Her form nestled in between his legs and his body responded quickly to the new sensation. He had trouble controlling his own reaction as a quivering hotness crept down his gut until it pooled between his legs, hardening against her sweet spot. Layers of cotton cloth lay between them, frustrating him as he pressed his hardness against her. She gasped as his lips moved from her mouth and started to trail kisses down her neck and then back up to her ear. His own hands fumbled to reach down behind her pants, pulling the drawstrings loose and then diving under the her thin panties to touch silky, soft skin. Both of his hands held her warm backside possessively as he felt the compulsion, the need, to push himself into her.

He wanted her. He wanted her badly. But what would she think of him if he pushed things too quickly? He screamed at himself mentally as he realized that he needed to stop…

He clenched his eyes closed as he grimaced and pulled away from her body, his own loins pulsing with a need that was being denied. "Kagome," he said desperately as his heaving breaths and hot skin left him feeling unbalanced. "I didn't mean to…it's just that I never wanted anyone as much as I want you." He paused while he ran his fingers through his hair. "Just a few hours ago I thought that you would never even look at me again, let alone let me kiss you. I wanted you for so long; it's hard to control myself now. I need you, but I can wait." His eyes left hers and stared at the countertop again. "I'm sorry."

Round, wide doe-like eyes stared up at him and then softened as her arm slid around his waist to hold him loosely. She pulled his face towards hers as her fingers found his lips again, tracing the edges of his mouth. A warm, shy smile grew from her lips as she gazed at him. "I wanted you ever since I saw you play in a game your freshman year. I adored you when you were a child. But when I saw you again, I desired you," Kagome's shy and vulnerable eyes looked up at Inuyasha who stared at her with amazement. "Then I fell in love with 'Ash' and I tried to deny my attraction to 'Inuyasha'. But it wouldn't go away. I wanted you, too. I've always wanted you." Her doe-like brown eyes looked up at him tenderly. "Please, I have always wanted it to be with you. I was waiting for you all of these years. I never let anyone touch me the way that you have. I love you," she whispered softly against his lips.

Her words opened up the floodgates that Inuyasha had been holding back. His lips crashed down on hers again and his hands held her back and neck. It was as if he was afraid that she would disappear or change her mind and ask him to stop. His hands reached down to her knees and hips. With one swift movement he brought her up, cradled in his arms, bridal style. Inuyasha held her close to his body as he walked her to his bedroom.

His mind tried to wrap itself around the series of events that had just played out. 'Is this really happening?' he thought. He laid out Kagome lovingly on his bed while he looked down on her as if it was a dream. Two sake bottles stood on the end table near his bed as a testament to how much things had changed in a day. 'I was trying to drown in my sorrows just a day beforehand,' he thought as his eyes drifted from the empty blue frosted bottles to a picture of Kagome that he had printed off the Internet. He remembered his hands tracing the curves of her body on the paper and now the real thing presented itself to him.

He chose to ignore the past as he focused on the girl in front of him. He licked his lips, tasting her fragrance in the air. Cherry blossoms and jasmine flooded his senses, but something much stronger invaded and clouded his mind. The musky, marine scent of her arousal spiked in the air. His body pulsed in response to her aroma.

'Damn,' was the only thing he thought as he moved onto the bed. He used his thighs to push her legs apart and then stood with his knees between her legs. He had wanted her for so long and now she lay willingly in front of him.

Kagome smiled up at him and reached out her hands to his body to touch his chest. Before she could move her hand, he placed his hand on top of hers, guiding her small fingers over the hollows and dips of his chest. Then using his own hand as a guide he brought her fingers to his growing hardness and showed her how to stroke him up and down. His breathing became heavier as her lithe fingers found their way under his pants and his underwear to touch his shaft. Nimbly, she stroked up and down. His gut clenched again as he willed his body back under his control.

He tried to keep his eyes from rolling back in their sockets as he took his own hands to trace her gentle curves, the very same curves he had been craving to touch yesterday. The luscious figure he thought he would never be able to see or feel again. He started with both hands on either side of her face and gently stroked his way down her neck while be paused to trail kisses. Her breath hitched as he continued down her body. He paused at her breasts that were covered in her sports bra. His fingers made their way under the elastic cotton fabric to pull it up and away from the swells of her breasts. Kagome even brought her arms above her head in order to help him pull up the offending cloth.

Then lying underneath him was Kagome's round exposed breasts. He stared at them briefly as he looked at the tan that ended at white triangles above her brown-pink areolas. He knew that the white area of her breasts had never been exposed to a lover before and it made them seem forbidden. He smiled as his lips lowered to take one peak into his mouth. Her body arched up against his bare chest and it felt electric. Skin touched heated skin and it was so pleasurable that it seemed illicit. One hand touched her round swells while his mouth lathed her hardening nipples.

He found that tasting her breasts only left him hungry for more skin. Her hands found their way into his long hair while his mouth dipped lower to nibble and kiss down her torso. He ran ginger circles around her belly button before he dipped down to run his tongue over her tummy.

Then his fingers ran into the red cotton cloth of her hakama pants. He suppressed a growl as he brought his hands under each side of her waist to hook under her panties and to pull them off of her body. Her body shuddered as he pulled off the clothing and he attempted to stave off any protests by kissing the exposed skin of her lower torso and legs.

Her body started to relax as he moved his body down between her legs, positioning his face where her sweet musky smell originated. He tried to ignore his growing arousal as his hands parted her warm, wet folds. He gave her moist pinkness a long languid lick of his tongue. He groaned in pleasure as he nearly tried to swallow her up. A tangy, marine scent clogged his mind as he licked up her essence. She was moaning under his ministrations, but he wasn't done yet. He moved one hand up to hold down her abdomen as his teeth scraped against her nub at the top of her folds. She nearly jumped as he started to suck on the tiny nub that was getting increasingly hard under his tongue. His steady arm held her down firmly on the bed as she tried to squirm and gasped under his careful attention. "Please…," she begged. He only answered by continuing to torment her with his tongue. He needed to bring her pleasure before the actual act itself.

Her two hands somehow found their way to his fuzzy ears and she started to stroke them causing a deep rumble to issue from his chest. It became even more difficult for him to concentrate on giving her pleasure between his throbbing erection and the satisfying touches that his ears were receiving.

His tongue dived in and out of her recesses and his fingers rubbed her pearl. She writhed and began to gasp louder and louder before her body quivered under his. Her eyes rolled back in their sockets, revealing white and her body blushed from her cheeks all the way down to the curls of her sex. She screamed as her body convulsed—her first orgasm rocking through her body.

He grinned as he watched her body that lay on his bed in a quivering heap. Without giving her any pause, he removed his hakama and sports briefs. Then he slid his nude body between her legs. He wanted her to feel his warmth and hardness right next to her core before he attempted anything.

He kissed her, slow and lingering—his long silver hair curtaining their bodies. Then once her lips parted and his tongue found a haven within her mouth, their kisses became heated and wanton. Small hands that had once fisted into his haori now pressed up against his bare and recently healed chest. Every place her fingers touched burned hot trails along his upper body and seared his flesh with need.

His hands found purchase in the roots of her long ebony hair bringing her lips even closer to his. He loved her. He hungered for her. He needed her. He desired her.

Her hands had moved down his back in a massaging motion before they gently cupped his muscular ass and griped it with a hand on each cheek. The force of her touch brought his pulsating shaft right up against her wetness. He groaned as he tried to fight the urge to slam deeply into her. Her body rocked underneath his as she pushed her own slick core against his. He gritted his teeth as the top of his bloated cock rubbed into her. Her arousal called to him, coaxing him to surrender to velvety heat. Slowly, he pushed into her and he gasped at her tightness. He had never felt anything like this before. Usually he was able to slide right in without any resistance, however her virginal body was unused to the intimate invasion. He pressed against her heat and trailed kisses down her face and neck. "Shush, Kagome. Relax," he whispered into her ear as he continued to kiss and soothe her.

It was going against every instinct he had to only move in a mere inch at a time and to give her time to acclimate. But he knew that he could bide his time. He finally had her and their bodies were joined. He could be patient for once—if only for Kagome's sake.

After agonizing moments, his entire length was enveloped in her silky snug warmth. He throbbed and quivered within her as instinct took over. He had started by moving slowly, but soon his own body was lost in the moment. The thrusts became more insistent—more needy.

He clenched his jaw as he tried to slow down to focus on Kagome. Her eyes were far away, her face flush with redness and her mouth opened with moans that were becoming louder. He found his rhythm as he watched her face and the blush that crept down her body. He pushed into her, reaching for her sweet spot that made her cry out. Soon she was screaming incoherently and her inner muscles quivered and contracted around him.

He breathed in deeply as he finally gave into her. With each push he fell deeper into pleasure, into nothingness, into the brink that seemed to lie between life and death. He felt himself let loose within her. Driving, grinding, releasing into a warmth that was sweet torture. His own body seemed beyond his control as his hips slammed into hers and he howled.

He didn't really remember when he became coherent or when his own body started to respond to his control again. All he could focus on was the sweet aroma of her arousal and his release. Her sweat and scent had intermingled with his—she smelled of him and he of her. He had sex before, but what amazed him was how much he liked the way their combined scents smelled. They were complementary. Usually he would immediately shower after sex to get the stench off of him. However, now he didn't want to bathe—it was too good of a smell to get rid of.

They were still intimately joined when he kissed her deeply and lovingly. "Kagome," he said breathlessly. He didn't want the moment or Kagome to disappear—so he laid his body on top of hers and held her firmly against him. "Don't ever go."

Her own tentative fingers crept over his back and into his hair as she pulled him close. She kissed the side of his face and then smiled back at him. "I'll stay by your side as long as you'll have me," she said softly. He couldn't help but respond with a rumble from deep inside his chest. Then he moved beside her and brought his hands around her so that he could curve around her naked body.

He basked in the moment, holding her body close and knowing that everything that he thought he had lost had been regained. With a satisfied sigh he brought up his covers and tucked them around their bodies. He hugged her again, enjoying the feel of her warm sweaty skin against his equally nude and warm body. He kissed the back of her head as his head drifted back onto his pillow and fell into dreamland.

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

They were lying somewhere between the realms of wakefulness and dreams when some loud noises started to rouse Inuyasha. His fuzzy white ears twitched and then turned in the direction of the noise. He heard the front door slam and swift feet running down the hall.

Suddenly, the door to his room burst open with fury—the door bouncing off of one wall as an angry wolf demon stormed into the room.

"Inuyasha!" screamed Koga with eyes that were narrowed in anger. Abruptly, the wolf demon's demeanor changed as he spied the two people lying in Inuyasha's bed—both naked.

Koga's jaw dropped in surprise as Kagome turned to see who was yelling Inuyasha's name. The white sheet that had covered her modesty fell from her body as she twisted. Koga's first glance was of her smooth backside glistening with sweat, but then her movements exposed her luscious breasts with rose-brown areolas to his appreciative eyes.

Koga froze as his eyes roamed over her naked flesh. Kagome suddenly blushed and drew the sheet back over her nude torso. Inuyasha's eyes widened in anger as he noticed Koga ogling his girl. He was about to yell when Koga beat him to the punch.

"So, that's why you threw the game, Yash?" asked Koga. The wolf demon's eyes almost bugged out of their sockets. Then he smirked and looked at Kagome with a feral glint in his eyes. "Kagome, if I throw the next game will you sleep with me, too?"

"What?" exclaimed Kagome in embarrassment. "I didn't sleep with him because of the game."

"Shut up, Wolf Shit!" yelled Inuyasha. He leapt out of the bed in all of his naked glory and stood in front of Koga—his breath heavy with anger. "Don't you ever ask her that again! She's mine!"

Koga held up his hands in a placating gesture. "Calm down, Dog Turd. You know that you're off the team and most of UCLA wants to skewer you alive?" Inuyasha's head drooped in defeat as Koga continued, "But hot damn, I still wish that I could trade places with you!" Koga grinned before he ran out the room, ducking away from Inuyasha's swiping claws.

"God damned, Wolf Shit. He had no right to even see you…," muttered Inuyasha as he slammed the bedroom door and locked it. An appreciative giggle was heard and Inuyasha's ears tilted toward the woman who had made the noise.

"Inuyasha. Did anyone ever tell you that you have a fabulous butt?" questioned Kagome who was looking at Inuyasha with deep appreciation.

"What?" asked Inuyasha cocking his head to one side. 'What has gotten into her?' he thought to himself as he looked at his girl, wavy ebony locks surrounding her face and a lithe nude body that was partially covered in disheveled white sheets. Then he looked down at himself and realized for the first time that he was parading around in his room and had nearly gotten into a fight with his own roommate while he was stark naked. He actually blushed as he met Kagome's approving stare.

"Sorry, I guess you bring out the worst in me," Kagome answered, becoming contrite in the face of Inuyasha's astonishment.

He smiled and sat down next to her on his bed. "If that's your worst, then what is your best like?"

"Do you want me to show you?" she asked with a sly smile that bordered on the seductive.

Inuyasha only murmured an assent as his arm nestled in the crook of her neck and his mouth found hers again.

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Please read and review. It really does help to inspire me to write more chapters!  
See you in two weeks.  
Private messages were sent to all reviewers.  
**_* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Author's Notes:**_

_#1: Soundtrack for this lemon: 'Let Love In' by the Goo Goo Dolls, 'Tease Me, Please Me' by the Scorpions, 'Inside' by Sting and 'Gonna Get Close to You' by Queensrÿche._

_#2: After a lot of discussion with my betas, the lemon for this chapter was completely re-written. I decided the first draft wasn't loving enough and one of my betas thought it wasn't realistic enough. Now, I won't say that this lemon was completely realistic—but at least it had some elements of realism. Let me know if I succeeded or not. If you would like to read a well-written and realistic lemon check out 'Memory' by InuSaga._

_#3: My betas split on which team won the last Rose Bowl game in my story. One beta said it was a tie and the other beta said that since the last (non-disqualified player) that went down was Sesshomaru that UCLA won. Since I had USC win the opening game, I'm going to give the last game to UCLA. _

_#4: My memory of my friend's apartment in Los Angeles (shared by four guys with two bedrooms) was used to describe Inuyasha's apartment. The place was always a mess with empty beer bottles and trash. The only thing in the fridge was beer and takeout--a true bachelor pad._

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Next Chapter:**__ Life is a Highway. No, things aren't over yet. There are consequences to face and an uncertain destiny lies ahead. There are 2-3 chapters to go until the end…_


	24. Chapter 24: Life is a Highway, Part 1

**Ch 24: Life is a Highway, Part One**

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_Citrus alert. Now I really didn't mean to put a lemon in this chapter. Inuyasha and Kagome were alone together and I just couldn't control them… _

~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_Special thanks to my awesome and talented betas: Hedanicree, Theleb K'aarna and Blackdeathmessenger!_

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

Warm rays of yellow-white light streamed down on Inuyasha and Kagome as they slept on his small bed. The beams filtered past white curtains shining on their nude forms that were spooned together in the bed. Blankets and sheets were haphazardly tossed about leaving their upper torsos and a few limbs uncovered.

As Inuyasha woke up, he found his arms around Kagome. Her warmth was cradled next to his body, and he never felt so content. What they had done last night, what they had shared—it was different from anything that he had ever done before. Sure, he had sex before—many times in fact. But this time it was different.

He had never wanted to be deep inside a woman so badly. He ached to be with her. The feeling of completeness, of wholeness, when he had her in his arms was overwhelming and it made him feel lost. It felt like he was in a freefall, his heart lurching inside of him. He wondered if his feet would ever hit the ground and if they ever did—could he ever walk steadily with his own two feet again? As bizarre and strange as the feelings were, he couldn't help but squeeze Kagome's body closer to him and desperately hope that he would never lose her or the feelings that she evoked within him.

He looked at her lovely face and then moved a hand to gently stroke her long obsidian tresses. He noted how their hair mixed beautifully on the white pillow, streaming silver and ebony ribbons intermixed to form a shiny grey. He smiled inwardly as he imagined a child of theirs with dark silver hair.

Suddenly, his body shot up in shock. He hadn't used a condom and she hadn't asked him to use one. He even had an entire package in the top drawer of his wardrobe. Did he even bother to use one? Shit! What was he thinking? Her scent called to him so intensely that all of his coherence left him and he wasn't thinking straight. He had taken her two times last night and if the hot stiffness between his legs had anything to say, he wanted to take her again.

He breathed heavily; his breaths came up short and quick. He had to find out if he had gotten her pregnant, so he sniffed her. He brought the covers off of her legs and she rolled to the side muttering softly in protest. He inhaled deeply at her sex. The heady scent of their coupling wafted into his senses—her musky arousal of desire and his release marking her—mixing with her scent. However, he couldn't tell any other change in her aroma. Nothing that would tell him that a new life had been conceived. However, he knew that these things didn't always happen instantaneously. He had to wait and he had to be careful next time. Damn. He was going to miss going bareback with Kagome. He had never done that before. He had always used condoms and now that he knew what it was truly like to slide warm wet flesh together he had no desire to go back to plastic wrap. He scratched his neck. Maybe he could talk her into going on the pill? He smelled her intimate aroma again and he felt his own body pulse, his loins starting to throb.

Kagome started to squirm and he reddened when he realized that his face was between her legs—his warm breath blowing puffs against her curly nest.

"Wow. What a way to wake up," murmured Kagome as one of her hands moved to stroke a furry ear. He almost fell into her touch, almost started to lick at the base of her curls, and almost started the intimate dance with her again… Suddenly, he steeled his features and made his way to the top drawer of his wardrobe and got out a blue box of condoms.

Kagome looked up at him confused. "What are you getting?" she asked.

"Um," Inuyasha turned around and put the package down on the bed sheepishly.

"Oh," murmured Kagome as she peered curiously at the box.

"I'm sorry Kagome. I should have put them on last night. I don't know what I was thinking. Actually, I know that I wasn't thinking. I was so caught up in your scent that I…," Inuyasha was starting to ramble and he found that his eyes couldn't met hers. "I've never done that before. I always wore condoms…not that it wasn't nice…it was…it's just…"

Kagome's hand reached to pull his chin up so that he was looking her directly in the eyes. "It's all right, Inuyasha."

"No, it's not all right," muttered Inuyasha. "I wouldn't mind having kids with you Kagome. But not now…," he said as his voice trailed off.

Kagome smiled. "I'm sorry. I should have told you. I got distracted as well," her voice trailed off before she looked back at him with a mischievous grin on her face. "After our little make-out session on the shrine grounds, I figured that things might get more heated between us and I wanted to be safe."

Inuyasha looked up at her, his eyes widening in wonder. "…more heated?" he repeated after her.

A pink blush caught on Kagome's cheeks. "I've been thinking about having sex with you for a long time Inuyasha. Honestly, I fantasized about it even before this year."

"Fantasized about it?" he questioned more to himself than anyone else. His sweet, innocent Kagome was thinking about sex, with him?

Now it was Kagome's turn to turn away from him, her blush continuing to redden her face. "Yeah, so after you came to the shrine that day…when we made out under the tree…I made an appointment to get a depo shot."

"Depo what?" asked Inuyasha as his ears twitched in apparent confusion.

"Depo-provera," answered Kagome as her eyes found his again. "It's a birth control shot. It lasts for three months. I am due for another shot in two months."

"Oh. So that means you can't get pregnant?" asked Inuyasha as he started to breathe normally again.

"No, not right now," she smirked as she looked back at him. "And we don't need these," she said while gesturing to the condom package. "I mean, you said that you always wore them before, right?"

"Yes," said Inuyasha in a complete stupor as he moved toward Kagome like she was an oasis in the dessert.

"I've never been with anyone before and if you always wore them…then we're safe…," she concluded with a happy smile that was innocently seductive.

"Safe…," murmured Inuyasha with half-lidded eyes. Her scent was calling to him again. Wrapping all around him was Kagome's mesmerizing aroma. Cherry blossoms and jasmine enveloped his senses. Then he smelled his own lingering musk pouring from her glistening skin. His essence and hers were intermingled upon her flesh and within her body. He couldn't think of a more intoxicating aroma.

"Damn, woman," was all he murmured as he leaned over to kiss the miko he had fallen in love with. "Now where was I?" he said absentmindedly to himself before he gave her a sexy smirk and moved down between her legs again.

"Inuyasha?" she asked breathlessly. "I'm not clean, there's…" her voice trailed off as he nestled between her legs and licked her languidly. "Uh," was all she could say as he continued with his ministrations.

"It smells of you, of me, of us…smells good, Kagome," was all he said between licks before he buried his face in her black curls. Soon she was moaning, too incoherent to care about whether she was clean enough for him. His tongue delved into her while he rubbed her pearl rhythmically. Her screams came hard and fast as he lapped up the juices of her orgasm.

She was laying in front of him in a dazed stupor when he pulled her up by her waist and pulled her over so that her backside was facing him.

There she was in front of him, just as he had dreamed. He wanted her and he wanted to take her from behind for as long as he could remember. His own cock throbbed and jerked in anticipation to see her round, smooth ass presented to him. He pulled a few fingers to touch her sex and rub her nub before he positioned himself.

"God, Kagome, you don't know how much I've been wanting you this way," he voiced in excitement. The heady aroma of their intermixed scents wafted up to him. Perhaps one of the reasons why dog demons liked this position so much was because he could smell her sweet excitement and their coupling so much better when her sex was right in front of his nose. This position was only used if the female's scent was arousing and her scent went beyond that. He had never been with a woman who smelled so good.

His hands slid over each silky round cheek. He kissed her backside slowly and then nipped her before he positioned himself behind her. Kagome whipped her head back, her long obsidian locks falling over her back and cascading down her shoulders. Her molten brown eyes softened as she looked at him.

He held his stiff shaft with one hand as he moved himself to the apex of her thighs. His instincts told him to slam into her, just as he had done in his dream. But he knew that he had to take things slowly with her. He entered her tenderly, one inch at a time until he was fully sheathed within her tight velvet heat.

While he throbbed inside of her, he leaned over her to kiss her spine and moved another hand to touch her pearl. "Come for me Kagome," he whispered as he moved inside of her and rubbed her nub at the top of her core.

She gasped and moaned as her intimate juices started to pour from her folds. Her wetness enveloped him snugly, and he started to lose control as her scent started to clog his mind. He moved in and out of her without conscious thought, letting his primal instincts take over. Somewhere, in the back of his mind he heard his hips slapping against her firm backside. He could hear her moans becoming screams of ecstasy as her core pulsed against his cock. The pressure that was building up in his gut and balls erupted in a crescendo of total rapture. He couldn't help but to slam his body against her as his body let loose inside of her, marking her, joining with her, releasing his very essence in the quivering throws of sheer pleasure.

Slowly he came back to reality as his body came back under his control. "Kagome?" he asked as his body bent forward over hers. Silver hair spilled over her back and curtained her side as he kissed up her body and nipped at her neck. "God, Kagome, that was so…"

She turned to try and kiss him as well, but found her neck couldn't twist far enough. Kagome's hands found a fuzzy ear and she stroked the base of it as he started to rumble against her. She smiled to herself as she pulled away from his body to turn around to grasp his head in her hands. "So…?" she asked as she kissed his cheeks, nose and his closed eyes.

His golden eyes opened and seemed to penetrate into her very soul. "I don't know, I've never felt anything like this before. I…I love you Kagome. God, you've forgiven me. Let me have you, I…" he didn't continue but just brought her body closer to his as they lay together on the bed together. He kissed the top of her head and cradled her nude form in his arms. Her head was tucked under his and she was stroking a lock of his silver hair absentmindedly. Her gaze moved from his hair to the billboard beside his bed. He smirked when he realized what she was about to finally notice.

"Inuyasha…you...you have pictures of me?" she questioned incredulously as she peered at the newspaper clippings, printouts and photos that he had posted above his bed. Her eyes tracked from one side of the billboard to the other. Her eyes first fixed on the many clippings that he had of his own UCLA team and especially the many articles and pictures about himself. But as her gaze tracked to the other side of the corkboard she saw pictures of her. Pictures of her from the USC website in her miko robes. Articles about the games she had played including the one where she had been injured. Finally, her eyes rested on the many candid shots of her that he had printed from her fan website.

"Where did you get these?" she questioned as she looked at photos taken of her around campus, during her workouts at Cromwell field and a few photos of her at a beach in her bikini.

"Um," Inuyasha stumbled over his words before he realized that he didn't have to hide anything from her anymore. "I did a Google search for Kagome Higurashi and I found a fan website dedicated to you. I guess some fans of yours created it. There were tons of photos of you on it. I printed out the best ones," he paused to pick up a photo that had fallen to the floor yesterday. "This one is my favorite," he said while smiling wistfully at the photo of Kagome towel drying her ebony locks on the beach while she was wearing a skimpy turquoise bikini.

Kagome looked in astonishment as she looked at the photo and managed to take it from Inuyasha's hands. "Who took this photo?" she asked while she glanced at the wall and took in all of the other candid photos that adorned his wall. Suddenly a look of consternation drew across her face. "Hojo!" Kagome exclaimed in irritation.

"Hojo took these pictures?" asked Inuyasha. "That guy was a little creepy and annoying. But you have to admit that he took some nice shots of you."

"I can't believe Hojo. He must have been taking pictures of me since I joined the team. He was there at every event where the photos were taken. That…that peeping Tom!" cried Kagome in frustration.

Inuyasha kissed her lips, which were drawn closed in a pout. "Oi. Don't be too upset, wench. I was able to print out some pretty hot photos of you because of him and his shutterbug habits."

"Yes," added Kagome as she drew the sheets closer to her body. "And that also means every other guy can also print the photos out…"

A look of complete befuddlement crossed Inuyasha's face before it quickly morphed into a look of anger. "No other guy should see these photos!" he bellowed. "When I get my hands on Hojo…I'll…" suddenly Inuyasha's sheets were being twisted in his fists.

Kagome put one gentle hand on top of his. Inuyasha looked at her and was quickly brought out of his bout of rage. "I'll talk to him. He'll take down the website," said Kagome calmly.

"Well, I should be there too. He might need a little persuasion to take it down," he added while he flexed his claws and cracked his knuckles.

It was now time for Kagome to smirk. She looked at him with a silly smile plastered across her face. "You are a little too over protective for your own good, Inuyasha," she added.

"Feh," was all he said as he turned his face away from her and brought up both of his arms across his chest in a huff.

"That doesn't mean that I don't appreciate you or that I love you any less," she added with a slow smile.

A dark eyebrow arched and a single white dog ear twitched in her direction. "Feh," he paused as he considered her words, "You love me?" he asked.

Kagome placed a hand across his crossed arms and pulled them toward her. She brought up his arms so that they were wrapped around her torso. "Yes, I love you, Inuyasha, and don't you ever forget it," she added while lightly tapping his nose.

Inuyasha sighed and brought her in even closer to his own body—hugging her tightly. They sat there for a few minutes, simply content to be in each others company before Kagome started to pull away.

Kagome spoke softly, "I better get home; my mother is going to kill me," she said as she dragged Inuyasha's arms away from her. A low whine instinctively came out of his lips as she moved off of the bed and tried to find her clothes, which were scattered about the floor.

As she bent over her firm, rounded backside came into view, and Inuyasha couldn't help but to stare. Luckily he had already been fully satiated otherwise his dog-like instincts wouldn't have been able to resist the display.

"You don't have to put on your clothes," Inuyasha mentioned with a smirk as he got out of bed and hugged her naked form from behind. "We can always stay in bed all day," he joked while kissing her neck.

Kagome turned around in his arms, embracing him as she pouted. "It's time to pay the piper. My mom has got to be wondering what happened to me. I never came home and I know that she saw the game when it was broadcast."

Inuyasha sighed as she put on her rumpled miko robes and then proceeded to dress himself as well. He pulled on a comfortable pair of faded jeans and a blue T-shirt with UCLA emblazoned across the front in gold letters. He even shrugged into his leather jacket and pulled on his boots since he knew he needed to give Kagome a ride home.

Once Kagome had her red hakama pants on and her white sports bra she looked around for her top. She finally found her top in his bathroom, stained with blood and green poison she looked at him with a question in her eyes. "I don't suppose you have another top for me to wear?" she asked.

He grinned, "You look much better without one on," he replied.

Kagome grinned at him as she walked toward him, caressing his cheek with her fingers. "But I'll get so cold," she complained.

Without hesitation he pulled off his leather jacket and dropped it on her shoulders. "There," he said with a smug tone to his voice. "That way your scent will be all over my jacket and I'll have it with me when you leave."

"Didn't I leave enough of a scent on your bed?" she asked as she moved her body right up next to his and laughed.

"Not enough to satisfy me," he answered. "I need your essence over everything I own and you need to keep coming back to constantly renew it." He looked into her eyes. His tone was joking but his eyes were serious.

She kissed him slowly on the lips. "Can I bother you for a ride home?" she asked as she pulled away.

"Anything, Kagome," he answered as he brought her hand in his and lead her out of his apartment. Now they were going to face the real world—a society that didn't approve of demons and humans being together. Colleges that rebelled against the idea of anything other than to have them fighting in combat. But they had each other, and for Inuyasha, he knew that was all he wanted. It was enough. Would it be enough for her? The question replayed itself in his mind as they walked out of his front door and into the open blue skies of January.

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Please read and review. It really does help to inspire me to write!  
See you in two weeks.  
Private messages were sent to all reviewers.  
**_* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Author's Notes:**_

_#1: You didn't seriously think that I was going to let my characters have sex and not talk about birth control, did you?_

_#2: I really meant for more things to happen in this chapter, but Inuyasha and Kagome just couldn't get their hands off of each other. OK. There will be a lot more plot development in the next chapter and oh, it looks like we are going to chapter 26 or 27 now. Oops!_

_#3: Yes, I am a 'Twilight' fan. The movie was OK (not nearly as good as the book was). Run and buy all four of Stephenie Meyer's books. If you have the time check out Stephenie Meyer's website so that you can download 'Midnight Sun' a free, unfinished re-telling of 'Twilight' from Edward's perspective. (Thank you Hedanicree for the tip.)_

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Next Chapter:**__ Life is a Highway, Part Two…Inuyasha and Kagome come face to face with consequences I had meant to put into this chapter..._


	25. Chapter 25: Life is a Highway, Part 2

**Ch 25: Life is a Highway, Part Two**

~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Special thanks to my awesome and talented betas:  
Hedanicree, Theleb K'aarna, Karaumea and Blackdeathmessenger!**_  
* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

Inuyasha really didn't ever remember feeling this content. He was driving Kagome home and her arms were wrapped around his torso, pulling her body up against his. She was even wearing his leather jacket and that made him smile as well. She was already wearing his red bike helmet, but having her wear some of his clothes somehow made it seem like he was declaring to the world that she was his.

She knew who he truly was. Kagome knew that 'Ash' and 'Inuyasha' were the same person. She had forgiven him—she had accepted him. Oh and the best thing, he thought, as he smirked—he had made love to her three times. Her warm, lithe, nude body had been pressed up against his. Her scent had called to him, enveloped him and had made him claim her body. Suddenly his eyes grew wide in shock as a growing warmth started to pool near his gut.

'Whoah. Think of ice,' he thought. 'Think of Myoga having sex. Yuck. Think of Totousai and Myoga having sex. Eeeeewww!' The bizarre picture made him snort with disgust and laughter.

"What? What are you thinking about?" asked Kagome. Her voice was muffled through the barrier of the bike helmet.

"I'll tell you later," Inuyasha said while grinning. Then he slowed down his bike in his attempt to park at the foot of the Sunset shrine steps.

His senses picked up the unusual amount of noise before Kagome did. There were television crews outside of her shrine. They were easily discernable with the long satellite antennas that erupted out of the top of the vans to peer into the sky. He noticed one vehicle with KCAL Channel 9 emblazoned on the side.

His mood quickly changed. "Shit!" he uttered as he moved the bike into a higher gear and sped past the congregating mayhem. "Kagome, I'm going to park a few blocks back and then I'll try to sneak you back home."

"What?!" she yelled behind his back as he sped past the shrine and tried to find a secluded area to park.

Inuyasha found a residential area close by with tall green trees and long shadows that crept past the sidewalk. He lowered his visor and sniffed the air. When he determined that the coast was clear, he motioned for Kagome to get of off the bike. His amber eyes and flickering ears were on alert as he tied the helmets down onto the bike with a steel cable. When he was done, he bent down and motioned to Kagome to get on his back.

"Where are we going?" asked Kagome before a sudden lurch had them both flying high into the sky. After two more leaps they found themselves on the roof of Kagome's two-story home. Though they could not see the commotion below, Inuyasha could hear the muttered noises of disgruntled reporters who had camped out at the front the shrine's steps.

His ears twitched when he heard a reporter rap on the front door. "We just want to talk to her," he yelled. "Just five minutes. Then we'll leave."

The door slammed open and Inuyasha could hear Kagome's grandfather mutter, "She's not here. Go away!" before the door slammed back again in the reporter's face.

"Shouldn't we go?" grumbled another voice by the front door.

Then another reporter spoke up. "Oh, she'll return to her home eventually. We only have to wait," the voice paused. "We can bide our time as long as we stay on public property."

Inuyasha started to cuss when Kagome placed her hand over his mouth. She made a slashing motion with her throat before Inuyasha regained his sense of equilibrium. He took in a deep breath and held out his flat palm to motion for her to wait. Then he dropped half of his body over the side of the roof to peer into her room.

'Good!' he thought to himself. 'No one is here and the reporters are on the other side of the house.' He slowly slid her bedroom window open and motioned to Kagome to get on his back. Once he was sure that she was nestled firmly against him, he slowly hung himself over the side of the roof and then jumped into her room. He quickly closed the window and her pink curtains so that no cameras could peer inside.

Kagome let out the breath she had been holding. "Thank you, Inuyasha. I couldn't have gotten in here without you."

Inuyasha's shoulders slumped and his triangular ears flattened against his head. "You wouldn't be in this situation if it wasn't for me," he answered glumly. His lips twisted into a pout and his amber eyes were centered on the floor in front of him.

"What?" Kagome responded as she wheeled around to look at the sullen hanyou. "Don't ever say that again," she said as she walked over to him. His entire body radiated guilt so she touched his back gingerly and then hugged him gently from behind. Her voice lowered as she spoke softly into his back. "I chose you. This was my choice, not yours. Don't blame yourself." She paused to squeeze him tightly before letting go. "Now, I'm going to take a quick shower. Can you make yourself comfortable while I'm gone?"

Inuyasha's ears perked up. "Can I shower with you?" he asked expectantly. Inuyasha's golden eyes glimmered with hope and desire.

Kagome smiled at him and slapped him playfully on the shoulder. "At your place, yes," she answered huskily as she drew her body next to his. Then she stepped away and spoke teasingly, "At my Mom's house, no."

Inuyasha let out a small whine as she walked away and grabbed clean clothes from her dresser drawer. She was about to step outside into her hallway when her face furrowed in thought. "Inuyasha," she said quietly. "If my mom or Souta show up, can you hide in my closet or something?"

Inuyasha grinned. It wouldn't be the first time he had hid in Kagome's room. "Sure, I'm an expert at it by now," he said thoughtfully as he watched Kagome's hesitation.

"Why do I get the feeling you are going to make a habit out of it?" she asked. Kagome shook her head and exited the room.

Inuyasha smirked at the closed door. "That sounds like a good habit to pick up."

Then he took one long deep breath. 'Kagome's room,' he thought. It had her gentle scent all around it. Cherry blossoms, hints of jasmine—everything that made up Kagome's unique aroma was in the room. There was even a salty smell. 'Tears? Kagome was crying?' He sniffed again. The scent was the strongest on her bed. 'Before the game,' he thought. 'While I was drowning my sorrows in sake, she was crying alone in her room.' His hands absentmindedly touched the soft pink quilt before he started to look around her room. She had a small writing desk with a white Mac laptop and a small inkjet printer. Unfortunately, there were no undergarments lying around he realized wistfully. His eyes soon scanned her desktop and noticed an electronic keyboard and some schoolbooks.

He looked at the keyboard and bench to find music for 'Beethoven's Sonatas' and 'Chopin's Nocturnes.' Soon he observed other books on her desk, 'Calculus,' 'The Demonic Encyclopedia,' 'The Holy Arts,' and 'Handel's Messiah.' Inuyasha had tried his best to avoid any form of classical music while working on his music major. His only foray into classical music was his Spanish guitar classes. His instructor had been impressed with his classical guitar skills, however he preferred modern rock music.

He gazed thoughtfully at her music. Now that he had been kicked off the team he would need to really hone his musical talents. He would never make a living playing for a national demonic team. Perhaps his music skills would be enough to make his way in the world? Didn't Kagome say that she wanted to make a living with her music? Maybe he could do the same?

His attention had been drawn to 'The Demonic Encyclopedia' and especially the many post-it notes that were neatly tucked within the pages. He carefully opened up a section with the most bookmarks and wasn't too surprised to see that it was labeled 'Canine Demons.' A small smile graced his lips as he looked at the other bookmarks. He nodded in satisfaction to see almost all of the bookmarks were under 'Dog Demons' and not under the 'Wolf Demons' area. He even noticed some pages that had more bookmarks and were more well-worn than the others. He pulled the corner of the pages to him and grinned proudly as he read the section title, 'Mating Habits of Dog Demons.' His eyes became quickly entranced with the pages as he noticed increased amounts of yellow highlighting covering this section of the book. 'Oh, my sweet, innocent, Kagome,' he thought smugly. 'What were you up to?' He smirked. 'She's never going to live this one down.'

His ears twitched to hear the water starting to run in the bathroom down the hall. He could also make out the sounds of Souta at his computer. Maybe he could get Souta to help him? Inuyasha smiled as he pulled his silver ring off of his necklace. He put the ring on his finger and noticed his sharp claws becoming blunt nails. He watched the ends of his hair darkening until they were black. He put his ear to the hallway door and when he was sure there was no one on the other side, he stepped outside of Kagome's room. He walked quickly down the hallway to where Souta's exclamations of anger and the sounds of a laser battle erupted from computer speakers.

"Oi," called out Inuyasha in his human form as he looked in at Souta.

"Ash?!" asked Souta in surprise. "Wait a second, man. I've got to save my game. Are you here to give me a motorcycle lesson? Hey, are you still going out with my sister? You know I saw her on TV and she…"

Inuyasha held out his hand in an attempt to stop the kid's chatter. "Kagome's my girlfriend. Don't worry about it…"

Souta leaped in the air. "Cool! I hoped she'd pick you," said Souta as his eyes gleamed. "So what was she doing with that Inuyasha guy? I thought she hated him."

Inuyasha shook his head and tried to restrain a smirk. "In due time kid, in due time… Now Souta, I need you to do me a favor."

"Sure, Ash. What do you need me to do?" asked the kid in glee. "I'm here for you, man. Panties, bras…"

The tall man with black hair tried not to laugh as he held out his hand to motion Souta to stop. "No, Souta. I need you to pretend that you let me in the house. You see, I snuck in here and I don't want your mom or grandfather to know that."

"Oh," said Souta as he waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "And you don't want Kagome to know as well?"

A small grin peeked out of the side of Inuyasha's lips. "Oh, she knows I'm here, kid. We both snuck in together. Now can you help me out?"

"Sure," said Souta as he peered around the corner. "Stay here," he murmured as he closed his door behind him and snuck down the hall. "OK, coast is clear, Ash. Follow me," the kid motioned as he crept along the hallway as if he was in a spy movie—clearly enjoying his mission. Both men tiptoed stealthily down the staircase to hear Kagome's mom and grandfather talking in the kitchen. Souta motioned for 'Ash' to follow him until they got to the entranceway near the front door. Inuyasha quickly put on some guest slippers, while Souta started to make a racket near the front door. Souta started by banging on the front door and then called out, "Oh, Ash! Good to see you!"

Kagome's mother came running around the corner. "Souta! I told you to not let anyone in!" she berated her child before she noticed 'Ash' standing there in his UCLA T-shirt. "Oh, who are you?" she asked in confusion.

"Kagome's boyfriend! He's 'Ash'," answered Souta proudly.

"What?" called out Mrs. Higurashi as she looked back and forth between her son and the handsome black-haired young man who stood in her genkan. "I didn't know that Kagome had a boyfriend." She looked up at him with a question on her face. "Kagome was crying two nights ago. Did the two of you have an argument?"

Inuyasha looked down at his slippers. Her mother was sharp. "Yes, Higurashi-san," he said. Then he looked her in the eye. "But we talked it over. We worked everything out."

"Oh," said Mrs. Higurashi in astonishment. "Well, I'll tell her you stopped on by, but she's not here…," she added as her voice trailed off.

"Oh well, Souta just told me that she's home and taking a shower," said Inuyasha as he nudged Souta with his elbow.

"What…oh yeah. Hey Mom, I just saw Kagome come out of her room to take a shower. I guess she's been back for a while."

Mrs. Higurashi looked from 'Ash' to her son with a questioning look on her face. "She's here?" Kagome's mother steeled her features and then walked upstairs to check on Kagome. "Kagome-chan?" her mother asked as she knocked on the bathroom door.

Inuyasha tried to make out the rest of the conversation, but Souta was already grabbing him and leading him towards his video game console near the TV set. "Ash, you promised to play some video games with me. I just got a new Wii system. Have you ever played 'Super Smash Brothers'?" Inuyasha supposed it really didn't matter if he had ever played the game or not because the kid was not taking 'no' for an answer. He actually smiled as the young boy pulled him into the living room to play the latest video game.

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

Before Inuyasha knew it, he was deeply engrossed in the video game brawl. He was playing a swordfighting hero named 'Ike' and Souta was playing a cute little pink fuzz-ball called 'Kirby'. It's too bad that the cute little creature was kicking his ass.

"Take that!" yelled Souta as the Kirby character shot beams of energy at Inuyasha's swordfighter.

"You'll pay for that!" responded 'Ash' as he made Ike slash with the longblade.

"Ash?!" called out Kagome in surprise from the top of the stairs.

'Ash' looked up at her and smiled. "Hi, gorgeous," he said. Kagome looked down at him in astonishment as she walked toward him.

"Ash, when did you get here?" she asked.

"Not long ago," he smirked as he looked at her shiny, wet hair. He loved the way her hair fell over her shoulders like black ribbons. He wished that he could smell her sweet scent right now. He settled for looking at her in a grey tank top that was damp at the shoulders and black boy shorts.

Kagome's mom came back into the living room. "Kagome, dear. We need to talk." She looked over meaningfully at 'Ash' before she motioned her daughter into the kitchen, where Kagome's grandfather was also waiting.

"Yes, mother," answered Kagome dutifully as she followed her into the kitchen.

Inuyasha's eyes trailed after Kagome while the computer game continued without him. He could hear his poor 'Ike' getting trounced by the silly pink 'Kirby'. Inuyasha handed the white game controller over to Souta. "I think I should be helping out Kagome," murmured 'Ash' as he followed after her.

He walked into the kitchen to see Kagome, her mother and grandfather talking sullenly over cups of tea.

"Where were you last night?" asked Mrs. Higurashi. "We were so worried about you. We saw what happened and who you left the game with…"

"I was with Inuyasha and we were trying to avoid the news media," answered Kagome as she looked into her teacup.

"But isn't 'Ash' your boyfriend?" questioned Kagome's mom.

"Yes, Mama," responded Kagome with a look of innocence.

Mrs. Higurashi pulled back in confusion. "So Inuyasha is not your boyfriend?"

"I didn't say that, Mama, but the man who is playing video games with Souta has been my boyfriend for a few months," Kagome started to twiddle her thumbs. "Not that we ever made it official…"

Mrs. Higurashi sighed and pushed back on her chair. "So you spent the entire night last night with Inuyasha? The boy I saw you kiss on nationwide TV during the game?"

Kagome blushed and barely murmured, "Yes, Ma."

"But if Ash is your boyfriend, then what were you doing at Inuyasha's home?" asked Kagome's mom--her face furrowed in confusion.

'Ash' managed to stand right behind Kagome's chair and put a steadying hand on her shoulder.

"Kagome was there with me and my roommates," answered 'Ash' with a grin.

"You were alone with all of these males?" quaked Mrs. Higurashi. Her eyes widened in astonishment and both of her eyebrows were raised.

"It's the 21st century Mom," added her daughter with some peevishness.

Mrs. Higurashi pinched the bridge of her nose. "So, 'Ash' you have no problem with Kagome kissing Inuyasha and spending the night at his apartment?"

'Ash' grinned. "No problem whatsoever," he added while looking down at his self-described girlfriend. Kagome patted his hand that rested on her shoulder.

The miko continued. "You need to show them the truth, Ash," said Kagome sternly as she looked meaningfully at the ring on his finger.

'Ash' blanched; he swallowed nervously. "Kagome, I don't think that's a good idea…,"

"Now would be a good time," said his girlfriend as she raised an eyebrow. "My family needs to know the truth. No more hiding."

"The things I do for you, wench," he grumbled. He pulled the ring off his finger. 'This is going to be it,' he thought sadly. 'They're going to hate me and yell at me for even attempting to date their daughter. No one wants a demon dating their human daughter, especially if she's a miko.' He cringed as he looked at the faces of her mother and grandfather as his appearance changed again. His blunt nails lengthened into claws, his black hair shimmered into silver and he felt his ears move up his head until they twitched on top of his head. He took a deep breath and steeled his features for what he was sure would be a verbal onslaught.

Kagome was peering down at her teacup as if it was the most interesting thing on the table. She didn't seem worried, which surprised Inuyasha.

He turned to look at Kagome's mother and grandfather. The old man's eyes turned to saucers in shock. However, the mother had an entirely different reaction. She did seem to be astonished about his sudden change in appearance, but within a second her face morphed into curiosity. Suddenly her eager face was right next to his.

"Oh, can I touch your ears?" exclaimed Mrs. Higurashi. Before Inuyasha could even react the older woman was rubbing his ears with glee.

"Wha…!" exclaimed Inuyasha in absolute confusion.

Souta had come into the kitchen just as the scene was being played out. "Ash, I thought you might want to…," Souta stumbled over his words as he saw the strange sight of a silver-haired dog demon in his kitchen wearing 'Ash's' clothes. "Ash, you are…you're?" The young pre-teen opened and closed his mouth like a fish gasping for air.

"Inuyasha," continued Kagome calmly as she sipped out of her teacup.

Souta blinked and then his face beamed a winsome smile. "Oh, can I touch his ears too?" asked Souta. He ran over to Inuyasha and waited in line next to his mom.

Inuyasha's ears simply twitched in annoyance as he crossed his arms. His eyes narrowed in irritation. 'What is with this family and my ears?' he thought tersely.

Suddenly, a voice yelled excitedly from outside of the kitchen. "They're here!"

Inuyasha and Kagome's family turned to see a reporter pressing his face against the glass of their kitchen window. A journalist was frantically calling for his compatriots to join him as he continued looking in on the scene in the kitchen.

Inuyasha stomped over to the window and pulled down the kitchen blinds. Wooden slat blinds fell to the sill with a splat and obscured the news reporter. He frowned and folded his arms in front of him. "That should take care of them."

Mrs. Higurashi only sighed. "Inuyasha, that is your name right? Not 'Ash'?"

Inuyasha nodded wordlessly in agreement.

"They have been here since last night. We haven't had an iota of privacy since then. Closing a window blind will keep them at bay temporarily, but it won't make them disappear." She stopped speaking and carefully pulled her teacup to her lips and took a slow sip.

"What do you mean? I can get rid of them!" exclaimed Inuyasha proudly. He flexed his claws at the Higurashi family. "Just leave them to me!" He was quite prepared to rough up the reporters in order to impress Kagome's family.

Kagome walked over to Inuyasha and put her hand gingerly on his shoulder. "Thank you, Inuyasha. But I don't think that is the solution."

Inuyasha pouted as he looked back at her. "But then what should I do?" he asked plainly. He really saw the solution as being very simple. 'Rough 'em up. They'd leave. End of story.'

"They won't leave until they hear from me. And I don't want my family suffering from unwanted media attention. I'm going to go out to face them."

"What!" yelled Inuyasha. "No way! They'll eat you alive. I've been around the press. They're merciless."

Kagome looked up at Inuyasha with a smile on her face. "I have been in front of the media as well. This will not be my first time. Trust me," she added. Kagome moved forward to kiss him on the cheek.

Inuyasha's posture immediately changed and his crossed arms fell to his sides. He took one hand and pressed against his cheek where Kagome had just kissed him. "Uh," was all he could add as Kagome started to walk away and made her way to the front door of the home.

"Wait for me, wench!" he called out from behind her. "You can't do this alone!" Inuyasha hurried and was right behind her back when she opened her front door. "Are you ready wench?" he asked carefully. Kagome answered by taking a deep breath and nodded with determination. She closed the door behind them and it didn't take long for reporters to notice them. They walked towards the reporters and were immediately swarmed by the news media.

A cacophony of noise erupted around them. Cameras flashed and camcorder floodlights nearly blinded the two as they stood outside her home. Inuyasha could hear yells and shouts, but couldn't make out a single discernable sentence.

Kagome put her arm in front of her eyes as additional lights flashed. Inuyasha felt the overwhelming need to protect Kagome from the intruders that had converged upon the shrine grounds. He brought up his hands so that they rested on either side of her hips and growled.

"Shut up! One question at a time or we're leaving! We'll be here for five minutes! That's it. Everyone better be gone after that!" yelled Inuyasha as he glared at the cameras, camcorders and sounds mikes that had been thrust into their faces. Kagome lowered her arm and turned to smile at him and then steeled her resolve as she stared at the crew in front of her.

The crescendo of volume lowered momentarily as the reporters tried to rephrase their questions in a more orderly fashion.

Inuyasha could hear several voices call out questions. Now the din of noise was not as loud.

"Did you plan this?" "What were you hoping to accomplish by throwing the game?" "Was the game rigged?"

Inuyasha raised his hand and opened his palm in a gesture that meant for them to stop. He gazed at them wearily, but it was Kagome who answered the questions.

"Neither, Inuyasha nor myself planned for any of this to happen. No, it was not RIGGED!" Kagome seemed to bristle at that question. She then took another deep breath. "I wasn't hoping to accomplish anything. I just couldn't hit Inuyasha with another arrow of sealing. How would you feel if you had to shoot the guy you loved in the heart?"

When Kagome finished her sentence it took less than a second for the reporters to yell out additional questions. "Are you going out?" "How long have you two been together?" "Do your parents approve?"

Kagome smiled shyly at Inuyasha and put her hands above his on her hips. "I met Inuyasha when we were children. We played together here at the Goshinboku tree," answered Kagome as she pointed to the immense tree that cast dappled shadows down onto the group below. "Yes, we're going out and I think my mom and brother adore him." Kagome paused to gaze up at Inuyasha with the warmest eyes he had ever seen. "And I love him..."

Inuyasha's eyes widened in astonishment and he smiled for the first time since they had been thrust in front of the cameras. He had to try to fight his own instincts to not kiss her in front of the media.

"Were you going out before or after the game?" "Did your coaches know about you two?"

Kagome turned to look at Inuyasha wearily. "Could you answer that one?" she asked.

Inuyasha only swallowed as he turned from Kagome to the crowd of reporters. 'OK. Just a modified version of the truth,' he thought. "We, uh, we were going out before the last game. No, our coaches had no idea that we were seeing each other."

The reporter from KCAL Channel 9 spoke up, "Inuyasha, how do you feel about the investigation that Myoga is now under for unsportsmanlike behavior? Coach Kaede alleged that he hired an actress to cause emotional distress to her players…"

"What?!" answered Inuyasha. He tightened his grip on Kagome's waist. He had been against Myoga's and Sesshomaru's harebrained scheme from the beginning. But he knew enough about the truth and what would be uncovered to know that his coach was in deep trouble. Myoga would probably lose his coaching job over this. "I…I…Myoga was a good coach. I owe him a lot...," Inuyasha couldn't continue as his shoulders sagged. His coach was going to lose his job because he had told the USC team the truth about Myoga's deception. Coach Myoga was the first person at UCLA who had believed in him. In a bizarre way, Inuyasha had to conclude that he wouldn't have even gotten together with Kagome if it had not been for his coaches' influence.

Kagome glanced up at him and noting the sorrow on his face, continued for him. "We feel badly for any fallout this may have on our coaches. They really don't deserve it. We should be the ones who take the blame for our own choices."

One reporter called out, "Do you know that you have both been thrown off your teams?"

Kagome's face fell and then her face became expressionless again. "No, I did not. Koga had already told Inuyasha that he was no longer on the team. I'm not surprised. I understand why Coach Kaede removed me. I would have done the same thing."

"But aren't you under a scholarship to a very expensive university?" "How can you stay in college without one?"

Kagome swallowed. "I will take things one day at a time. I hope to continue my education, but yes, it will be difficult to afford my yearly $35,000 tuition without the scholarship. Maybe I will attend part-time after this."

Inuyasha held Kagome closer to his body. Her shoulders were slumped in defeat. He kissed her briefly on the top of her head and then regretted it immediately as the cameras started flashing again and the crowd around them talked with excitement.

The reporters didn't miss a beat. "Give us a smooch for the cameras." "Inuyasha, kiss her like you did during the game!"

Inuyasha's eyes blinked and he gritted his teeth. "You have had enough of a peep show for today. Get off of Kagome's property! The news conference is over!" Inuyasha bellowed as he grabbed Kagome and pulled her back inside of her house.

He slammed the door shut as he muttered about the damn reporters. He was so angry that he surged forward only to be stopped by a petit woman who was smiling up at him.

"Do you want to kiss me?" she asked as her fingers found purchase in the belt loops on either side of his jeans.

Inuyasha almost stuttered his answer. "Yeess…," he barely made out. His anger quickly dimmed with thoughts of kissing and touching Kagome.

"Good," Kagome responded as she pressed her warm, soft body against the harder planes of his chest and pressed her lips up against his.

He had wanted to kiss her and to draw her body closer to his since he had arrived here. However, propriety and a worry about what her mother might think had overcome his desires. That wasn't happening anymore.

One of his hands swept back into her hair, bringing her lips closer to his and the other hand drew her waist flush against his body. His mouth opened as he breathed and took in her tongue.

'I think I can get used to this,' Inuyasha thought as he deepened the kiss.

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Please read and review. It really does help to inspire me to write!  
See you in two weeks.  
Private messages were sent to all reviewers.  
**_* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Author's Notes:**_

_#1: Special thank you to Brakken for helping me choose some music books that Kagome would be studying._

_#2: A super-big thank you to Hedanicree who helped me come up with the news reporters questions that I used in this chapter._

_#3: Genkan: An entranceway at all Japanese homes where you take off your shoes. You can either walk around in your socks or you may be offered guest slippers to wear. Never wear your shoes into a Japanese home, it's considered dirty and uncouth._

_#4: Yes, it is currently a little over 35,000 USD/year to attend USC as a full-time student. That does not include books or room and board._

_#5: I really don't know how many more chapters this story will be—maybe two more chapters, maybe more… I can tell you that I am in the final arch of the story and I am trying to conclude things. At the same time, I don't want to rush this story or its' ending. It drives me crazy when I read a fan fict and the denouement happens (in this story that was Ch. 22)—and there is no resolution. Well, that's not happening with this story! Please just sit back and enjoy until it concludes._

_#6: My betas had a lot of comments about Souta in this chapter. Well, I am basing Souta on his character in Inuyasha, Happosai from 'Ranma ½' and my own two younger brothers. My brothers had no compunctions about taking anything out of my room and they were complete video game fanatics. Sound familiar?_

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Next Chapter:**__ Life is a Highway, Part Three…I swear this is the chapter that got away from me. It was only supposed to be one chapter. 'Immortal Sin' plays again!_


	26. Chapter 26: Life is a Highway, Part 3

**Ch 26: Life is a Highway, Part Three**

~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Some strong language in this chapter—please do not read if that offends you.  
Special thanks to my awesome and talented betas:  
Hedanicree, Theleb K'aarna, Karaumea and Blackdeathmessenger!**_

_**You might want to play 'Life is a Highway' by Rascal Flatts while you read this chapter.**_  
* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

Inuyasha grimaced as he sped his motorcycle down the LA highway with Kagome gripping his back. Today had started beautifully with Kagome in his arms as he woke up. However, once they faced the news media his entire mood had soured. Kagome's normally happy demeanor had shifted into something subdued. It was affecting him and putting him on edge. Now they had a gig to play tonight and there was no way that they could get out of it. 'Immortal Sin' was playing as an opening band at the House of Blues. With their entire future up in the air they couldn't afford to miss a gig.

Inuyasha slowed down and maneuvered past the House of Blues. He looked in dismay at the large crowd and multiple media vans that were parked outside. "Shit. I thought we were over this!" he yelled as he pulled into the employee lot near in the back of the club.

Kagome touched his shoulder and looked at him with her wide, expressive eyes before pulling off her own red helmet. "They'll get sick of the story eventually. We're just the flavor of the month." She smiled up at him with temerity. "They'll leave us alone as soon as another story breaks."

Inuyasha sighed as he jerked out of his metallic red helmet. His silver hair fell out, cascading down past his shoulders. Kagome squeezed him with a quick hug. Inuyasha's eyes roamed over her body as he took in her appearance. Tonight she was wearing long, black leather pants that hung low on her hips, a silver corset and his leather jacket that engulfed her small frame.

He touched her cheek. "Keh," he murmured as he leaned forward to kiss her. His mouth met her warm, soft lips. Her mouth parted and he breathed in as he deepened the kiss. Her lips were jasmine. Her scent clung to him and to his jacket. Cherry blossoms intertwined with his woodsy scent on her skin. He forgot where he was. There was only her and him—their lips—her body so soft and giving under his hands…

Clik. Flash. Clik. Flash.

"Fuck!" Inuyasha snarled as he broke off the kiss to send a murderous glare to a photographer with a telephoto lens. His fists clenched and he was about to throw his body weight forward to attack the idiot who had interrupted them.

It was only Kagome's insistent plea that stopped him. "Inuyasha, no!" she called out. Her single hand on his shoulder was the rock that held him fast. He turned to look at her small hand on him. He took a deep breath as he turned away from the photographer and managed to still his body. He grabbed Kagome's helmet and his own to lock them on his bike before he headed inside. Kagome moved next to his side. Inuyasha resisted the urge to pull her close to him as he walked toward the entrance. The photographer was still taking pictures and he didn't want to help the bastard make any more money.

Inuyasha pulled the big, heavy metal door open and let Kagome inside before he turned to flip off the photographer who was still taking pictures of them. The door closed hard and fast behind them with a heavy clang.

The coolness of the outside air was replaced with humid warmth and cacophonous chatter. In fact, he could clearly hear someone yelling at the stage manager.

"How could you do this to us?! We're the better band!" Inuyasha's ears twisted to pick up the argument that was far down the corridor. He recognized the voice of the lead singer of 'Deadspeak,' the band that had headlined the last time 'Immortal Sin' had played at the House of Blues.

An even voice responded. Inuyasha recognized it as Jim Johnson the stage manager. "I just give the crowd what they want."

Even Kagome could hear the lead singer cuss loudly.

"You better get ready for your gig," responded the stage manager coolly. "You're about to go on."

"We're not done with this, Jim," shouted the bandleader. Angry footsteps started to echo down the hallway.

Inuyasha walked forward with Kagome and finally saw the stage manager. He had his hands in the pockets of his khaki's and leaned forward to rock on his heels. The manager blew against his black bangs in frustration before he noticed Kagome and Inuyasha staring at him with dumbfounded expressions.

His demeanor automatically changed and his face beamed a smile that was as fake as it was wide. "Ah, Inuyasha and Kagome. I've been waiting for you. There's been a slight change in our lineup tonight."

Inuyasha looked up at the man suspiciously. He smelled nervousness about the stage manager. "What change?" asked Inuyasha with some wariness.

"Oh, you're going to be our headlining band from now on!" exclaimed Mr. Johnson with a great amount of enthusiasm. "I always knew that your band had talent. Now all we need to do is showcase it."

"This wouldn't have anything to do with the media vans out front?" asked Inuyasha as his eyes narrowed.

"Ah, yes," answered the stage manager while he looked at his brown penny loafers. Then he smiled at Inuyasha again revealing two rows of perfect, white teeth. "Well, like I told Deadspeak... I give the crowd what they want and they want 'Immortal Sin.' When you're done with this gig tonight, I need to talk to you about changing your booking. We'll need you here as the main act and I'd like to extend your contract."

"Talk to Ginta," stated Inuyasha with skepticism. "You know that he's the one who handles our contracts."

"Well, that's just it," answered the manager. "I was wondering if we could mix things up a little bit?"

"Mix things up?" asked Inuyasha as he crossed his arms in front of him and stood defiantly.

"Yes, just have you and Kagome play. You don't need the rest of the band…," he offered.

Inuyasha growled and his jaw twitched. "We're not breaking apart the band. Take us as we are or not at all!"

The stage manager raised his hands in a placating gesture. "Sure, if that's what you want." He flashed his bleached white smile at him again. "But if there was only two of you, that would be less people to split the money."

Kagome answered this time with a furrowed brow and narrowed eyes, "We're not interested Mr. Johnson. Don't push us."

The stage manager's carefully crafted smile faltered and turned at the edges into a partial frown. "If that's what you wish. Well, you have more time to get ready tonight. And keep in mind that we need you to play for one hour instead of the usual thirty minutes."

"Wha…," answered Inuyasha as he blinked his eyes in confusion.

"Well, you are the headlining act now. You'll be on stage longer." The manager walked away and smiled as he waved. "Call me if you have any questions."

"Can you believe that man?" asked Inuyasha with a grimace. His eyebrows were raised in exasperation and his finger was pointing at the retreating man.

Kagome sighed and put her arms around his waist to hug him. Inuyasha suddenly seemed to notice her small form next to his. He turned around to nestle her head under his chin.

"Things are changing so quickly, Kagome," muttered Inuyasha. His hands absentmindedly stroked her arms that were wrapped around him.

"Well, they're not all bad are they?" Kagome asked as she pulled back to look him in the eyes. Her warm deer-like orbs found his amber ones.

A small smile graced his lips while Inuyasha looked down at her. "No, not all bad," he spoke with a soft voice.

"Inuyasha!" Ginta yelled as he ran down the hall to greet both players. His eyes darted left and right to make out the duo that were embracing in the hallway. A big grin laced his lips as he looked at them. "So she finally found out the truth, and you actually managed to not get sealed by her arrows!"

"Ginta!" yelled Inuyasha in exasperation.

"Hey, you know I love you guys. That was just so amazing. I couldn't believe the game and then Koga said that he found you both in bed and…" Ginta's words sputtered to a halt under Inuyasha's menacing glare. The hanyou's fist suddenly came precariously close to Ginta's face. "Hey, man I'm just happy for you," he mumbled. The wolf demon moved his hands to protect his face from the incoming threat.

Inuyasha quickly crossed his arms and looked away from the demon. "Feh," was all he could manage to say.

Kagome hooked her arms around each demon's arm. "So any idea what songs we are going to sing in order to double our time commitment?"

Hakkaku arrived quickly on Ginta's heels. "Yeah, hey Ginta did you find out if they were paying us any more?"

Ginta slapped his forehead. "I'm sorry. I forgot when I ran into Inuyasha and Kagome."

Hakkaku only shook his head in dismay before beaming a smile at Inuyasha and Kagome. "So….," began Hakkaku.

"Can it, Hakkaku," commanded Inuyasha. He wheeled around with an arm around Kagome's waist. "Where's Koga? Where's our music? We have a lot of last minute changes to go over."

"Over here, mutt-face!" called out the familiar voice of the wolf demon from a backstage room.

The rest of the band ambled toward the door and walked in to see the band equipment strewn about the floor. Koga was anxiously poring through sheets of music, papers fluttered to the ground around him.

Kagome walked up to the wolf-demon and picked up the fallen music sheets without asking. "Let's just sing every song we ever practiced," said Kagome.

"We don't have all of our sheet music with us," answered Koga while he looked at the papers in front of him. "We need to stick with what we have on hand."

Kagome looked at the sheet music that she had just picked off the floor. "Oh, I never heard you guys practice this one before. Inuyasha?" Kagome asked.

Inuyasha walked on over to look at the song she was gesturing to and Ginta looked over their shoulders.

"Oh, yeah!" said Ginta. "He had us practicing that song for months now. I don't know why we never practiced it while you were around though. It's kind of catchy." Ginta started to sing awkwardly and Inuyasha winced, "_Life is a highway. I wanna ride it all night long…_"

Kagome smiled. "You know that I love this song. Why didn't you tell me you guys had practiced it?"

Inuyasha scratched his head. "Um, well you first sang that song with 'Ash'," he explained without continuing.

Kagome frowned for a brief moment before looking away from the music and up at Inuyasha. "Afraid that I might figure out the truth?" she asked with wary eyes. She frowned and bit her lip.

"Something like that," added Inuyasha as he glanced down at the paper and avoided Kagome's penetrating eyes. Almost as an afterthought, he turned to grab Kagome and pulled her out into the hallway. The door shut heavily behind them and Inuyasha seemed to become fascinated with the floor. His words had trouble forming as he looked up at her with clear eyes that betrayed longing and sadness. "The song... It reminds me of you," Inuyasha began as he met her questioning gaze. He took a deep breath and then continued. "It also reminds me of how I was back then. I'm not proud of what I was like or what I had planned. But the song also gives me hope," Inuyasha paused as he took a deep breath and looked Kagome squarely in the eyes, "…because it reminds me of the woman who made me a better man."

Kagome let out a breath that she seemed to be holding. "A better man?" asked Kagome with a quirky smile.

"I'm not the same man that you met a few months ago," answered Inuyasha as he turned away from her briefly to run his fingers through his hair. He sighed and then looked at Kagome's deer brown eyes again. "Somehow you changed me," Inuyasha sighed as he pulled her forward and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead. "Kagome, would you like to sing that song again?"

"I thought you'd never ask," answered Kagome with a beaming smile.

It didn't take long for the band to pull together a new playlist for the show that night. They had to double the amount of songs that they were going to play since their thirty-minute slot had quickly expanded to one hour. Before they knew it, they were onstage after the disgruntled 'Deadspeak'.

Inuyasha scanned the audience and grimaced at what he saw. He had never seen the House of Blues as crowded as it was tonight. Every table was crammed shoulder to shoulder with people. The dance floor, which was normally empty, was about as crowded as a mosh pit. Even more dismaying were the television cameras that were pointed at the stage. Inuyasha counted at least five different cameras panning across the club.

'Well, if it's a show they want—then that's what they're going to get,' thought Inuyasha. He moved to center stage and the red lights centered on him. His silver hair and dog-like ears seemed to take on an even more demonic look as the ruby lights danced across his features.

"We're 'Immortal Sin'! Get ready to rock!" yelled Inuyasha. Hakkaku hit the drums and Koga started to strum on the guitar. Soon the rhythm of the song 'Life is a Highway' began to stream over the speakers and across the crowded club.

Memories of when he had last sung this song with Kagome drifted across his mind. 'How long ago was it really? Had it only been five months ago? Did I really conceive a plan to fuck and then humiliate Kagome? Was I really that heartless? Why had she forgiven me?' he mused to himself as he prepared to sing.

He gripped the mike in his hands and strutted across the stage to pull Kagome away from the keyboard and next to his body. This song was for her and he wanted her to know it. His deep baritone voice belted out the first verse as he looked at her.

_Life's like a road that you travel on  
When there's one day here and the next day gone…  
There's a world outside every darkened door  
Where blues won't haunt you anymore  
Where brave are free and lovers soar  
Come ride with me to the distant shore_

She smiled up at him. It was the warm, brilliant smile that only Kagome possessed. 'Why did you forgive me?' he thought idly as he stroked her cheek. Then his hand dropped to draw her waist flush against his and they sang the chorus together. Their bodies rocked together with the beat of the music. Her hips swayed with his and his eyes never left hers. He seemed to be searching for answers in her eyes as they sung the next verse together.

_Life is a highway  
I wanna ride it all night long  
If you're going my way  
I wanna drive it all night long_

She had changed everything, hadn't she? His heart had always held such anger and frustration. Now he searched within and only found a deep, rich feeling of contentment. It didn't matter that he could no longer play team sports or that the press wouldn't leave them alone. She loved him—she truly loved him. Even when she shouldn't, she did. All was right in the world. It had been a long difficult path leading to this moment in time. The riots, his mother dying, his father's growing distance that was mingled with sorrow, his intense anger, his desire to succeed… And above all of that there was Kagome, one individual who made the pain worth it, and she was in front of him. Would she ever know exactly how much she meant to him? He doubted it. But if he couldn't tell her, he would sing to her and let the lyrics take on his voice and emotions.

_I love you now like I loved you then  
You're in my blood  
I'm not a lonely man  
There's no load I can't hold  
Road so rough this I know_

She held his hand in hers and brought it up to her chest as she sung the next verse. Her smile reached her eyes. He could see that there was no more sadness and—thankfully—no regret in her demeanor.

_There was a distance between you and I (between you and I)  
A misunderstanding once  
But now we look it in the eye_

There was a brief pause in the music before they would have to sing again. Inuyasha's fingers touched the side of her cheek and he couldn't help but draw her face towards him for a searing kiss. Cameras started to flash in quick succession. He tasted her on his lips and in his mouth. Her lips were so soft and warm, her body so pliant and feminine under his touch. He ignored the outside world. This was just about the two of them. He broke the kiss in order to sing his next verse.

_There ain't no load that I can't hold  
Road so rough this I know  
I'll be there when the light comes in  
Just tell 'em we're survivors_

'It's just the two of us now,' Inuyasha mused as he stepped back. He decided that things were going to be all right. He would enjoy his life with Kagome, singing on stage with her. If he could do this for the rest of his unnaturally long lifespan, he would be happy. He would never know why she forgave him after everything he had done. He decided that was just what made her Kagome. She always saw the good in everyone. Even when he saw no good in himself, she was able to see it. 'I'm a lucky guy,' he thought as they sang the last lines together.

_Life is a highway  
I wanna ride it all night long (all night long)  
If you're going my way  
I wanna drive it all night long (all night long)_

As the music started to trail off, he heard voices from the crowd. There were hoots and yelling. Perhaps his hearing that was being selective tonight, but he heard one catcall screaming out louder then the rest. "Kiss! Kiss!" "Kiss her, Inuyasha!"

Kagome looked up at him in wonderment and he smirked. He brought her forward and his hot breath misted over her neck. Then, his lips rested on her ear. "We need to give the crowd what it wants," he whispered huskily. He was pleased to notice that her breath came in short heaves and that her heart raced. She nodded imperceptibly.

That was all the encouragement he needed to dip her on the stage and kiss her. His arm held her back horizontal to the ground, and her body felt warm and soft. Her lips moved against his and her arms encircled his neck as if she was afraid he would let go. He really couldn't remember how long he had kissed her in front of the crowd. Was it a nano second or an eternity? He couldn't really tell—all he knew was that at that moment he realized this was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. This was where he could find happiness. This was where he could be content.

He dimly noticed the click and whir of the cameras that continued to flash. People were still yelling at them. But he was somewhere else—somewhere serene, somewhere with only Kagome. He lifted her up so that her body slid up next to his—her soft curves pressed beautifully against the firm muscles of his hard body. He looked at her eyes before he brought her hand up to his lips for another kiss. He bent over to her ear to whisper one more remark before he let her go, "Later tonight," he murmured.

He was happy to see that her legs wobbled a little as he let her go. She returned to her keyboard with her cheeks flaming red. However, he knew that the redness was not entirely due to embarrassment. Her scent had spiked so nicely while he had held her in his arms.

He grinned and faced the audience. It was time for the next song and there was a show to put on. They continued singing for the longest set they had played on stage. All of his band members were as sweaty as he was from being under the warm lights and the humid atmosphere of the packed club. After a final bow and round of applause, Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's hands and dragged her behind him.

"What? Where are we going, Inuyasha?" asked Kagome plaintively.

Inuyasha's blood pulsed and he only had one thing on his mind. Her scent had been calling to him all evening. Every time she got close to him, he could smell the aroma of cherry blossoms and every time he kissed her, there was jasmine on her lips. However, what was really driving him crazy was his own woodsy scent that was coming out of her pores. He had scent marked her and she was his. It was almost instinctual, the driving need to keep his aroma both on and within her body—making her his in every way possible.

The dressing room down the hallway never seemed farther away while he pulled her along. He was too intent on Kagome to notice anything wrong when he drew her into the room and then locked the door behind him. Within seconds he had her pressed up against the wall and his mouth was devouring her. He had never wanted anything so badly. He thought that he had satisfied his hunger last night, but being around her just brought it out again with a dizzying force. His lips descended on hers and he tasted her again. His mouth would hold no quarter as he pummeled her body with dire need. He knew that he was actually being too forceful, but he couldn't help his instincts. Her aroma called him and wrapped around him, intoxicating him. Her body gave way under his probing fingers, which had found their way under her tight clothes. She was so soft and warm to the touch.

Cough. Ahem. Cough.

Kagome's eyes widened as she realized that they were not alone in the room. Inuyasha growled as he broke off the kiss. His anger at being interrupted was readily apparent as the middle-aged man held up his hands in placation.

"Sorry, I was told to meet you here. I didn't know that…," the man paused and steeled his features. He got up from the chair he had been sitting in and strode over to the couple. Inuyasha noted that the man was overdressed for the House of Blues. He was wearing a crisp white dress shirt, dark navy slacks and a jacket. He had light brown hair that was thinning at the edges and a calculating look about him. Inuyasha disliked him immediately.

"Get the hell out of this room!" Inuyasha bellowed at the man. "Can't you figure out when you're not wanted?" For some reason Inuyasha felt the need to place his body between the unwanted man and Kagome. He felt Kagome adjust her corset behind him.

"Ah, well. This has all started out badly, but I am here to make you an offer," said the man coolly as he pulled out a business card and placed it in Inuyasha's hands. "I'm Don Lenner, vice-president of Sony Music' s U.S. division. We're always on the lookout for new talent."

Kagome gasped behind him in surprise and whispered in his ears. "Please don't upset him, Inuyasha. This is big!"

Inuyasha crossed his arms in front of him and looked down at the man with an icy glare. He still wouldn't let the man see Kagome. He was too pissed and frustrated to show any civility. "What talent? What are you talking about?" asked Inuyasha with suspicion in his voice.

"Ah," answered the man as he sat back down again and motioned to the couple to join him on the adjoining couch.

"I'll stand where I am," answered Inuyasha icily.

"Inuyasha," whispered Kagome. She maneuvered to stand beside Inuyasha and finally got a good look at the man who had been talking to them. "You can be a little friendlier?"

"Well then," said Mr. Lenner. He leaned forward and tried to look comfortable. "Of course, I first saw the two of you during that infamous Rose Bowl game. Everyone is talking about you—or don't you know?" questioned the man while his eyebrow perked up.

Inuyasha continued to look at the man with frosty disdain. He didn't even bother to reply.

The Sony executive coughed and continued. "I found out earlier today that the famous 'kissing couple of the Rose Bowl' was also in a band. The owner of the House of Blues has been calling every media outlet in town in order to showcase your act."

Realization dawned on Inuyasha as to why there were so many camera crews watching their show tonight and some of the color left his face.

"Oh, don't be that way, Inuyasha. It's only show business. Nothing personal," the man added. "Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised to find that you have a great stage presence, good looks and amazing chemistry," he said while gesturing to both of them. "You also have talent." The older man sighed as he ran his hand through his thinning hair. "Which unfortunately is a rarity in bands these days." He then looked up at them and had a genuine smile on his lips. "So I came to make you an offer."

"An offer?" echoed Kagome who was far too interested in the man's words for Inuyasha's tastes.

"Yes," said the middle-aged man. Everyone felt some tension drop from the room even though Inuyasha still stood stoically and continued to cross his arms like a petulant child. "I'm here to offer you a standard contract. I need to get you into the recording studios immediately and we need an album recorded in a month. Then I need to sign you for a year-long tour…"

"Tour?" asked Inuyasha with confusion.

"Ah, yes. A tour," answered Mr. Lenner without missing a beat. "With illegal music downloads these days, tours have actually become our bread and butter. We have started to write off the costs of music distribution in favor of increasing concert ticket prices." The man paused again and patted the couch next to him. "Please sit down, we have much to discuss."

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Please read and review. It really does help to inspire me to write!  
See you in two weeks.  
Private messages were sent to all reviewers.  
**_* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Author's Notes:**_

_#1: If you like this AU story about Inuyasha and Kagome I have another Inu/Kag AU to recommend to you. Check out the 'Watcher in the Darkness' by InuSaga. She does a fantastic job retelling the original Inuyasha, but setting it in modern day America. Her story is so good that I have re-read it two times so far._

_#2: If you were disappointed with Inuyasha Manga #558, then I really recommend 'When She Comes Back' by Karaumea. It's an excellent one-shot story with some lovely limes/lemons. And while you're at it, read her excellent Inu/Kag drama 'Heartless'._

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Next Chapter:**__ Epilogue: Concert at the Rose Bowl…and a lovely lemon…_


	27. Chapter 27: Epilogue

**Ch 27: Epilogue: Concert at the Rose Bowl**

~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Warning there is a lemon in this chapter—please do not read if that offends you.  
You might want to play 'Why Don't You and I' by Santana & Alex Band and 'Everything' by Lifehouse while you read this chapter.**_

_**Songs for this chapter can be located on YouTube at:  
**__ 'Why Don't You and I' by Santana and Alex Band __.com/watch?v=MeCsRru0Uhk__**  
**__ 'Everything' by Lifehouse __.com/watch?v=fjDojEOiMcE_

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_I would like to introduce the wonderful betas who helped to shape this story:  
__**Blackdeathmessenger**__: He was my first beta to help me out. Since he is also in a band he was instrumental with this story. He came up with Inuyasha's band name, helped me pick the musical instruments the band would use, helped with song selections and was extremely helpful in letting me know what was right or wrong about my band scenes.  
__**Theleb K'aarna**__: He was my second beta to help out with this story (and my husband). Whenever I wrote something that he thought a guy wouldn't do, he would call me on it. His ideas helped to add to the realism. He also played college sports (volleyball here in CA), so he was also a great help with the sports scenes. He also went above and beyond the call of duty to teach me karate for the scene in chapter 15. (I was sore after that! Oh, what I do for this craft!)  
__**Hedanicree**__: She was my next beta to join in. She's a journalist by trade and is probably the best copy editor that I have ever run across. She gave me the extra nudge to push my prose to higher standards. I don't think chapter 22 would have had the emotional impact that it did without her help. She was also instrumental I helping me pick the two songs used in this chapter.  
__**Karaumea**__: She was my final beta. She's an excellent writer and after she gave me a smashing review I checked out her stories as well. Great stuff! Now we're collaborating on a story (and my next project) together. It's an Inu/Kag comedy called 'He's My Girl'.  
_* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**One Year Later…**_

Inuyasha walked into his father's palatial ranch style house. The home itself seemed to sprawl onto the immaculately kept grounds. It had actually been a horse ranch 150 years ago, however now new housing developments encroached on its 100 acres. He walked to the back room where he knew his father would be. Yellow-gray beams of sunlight filtered onto his dad's seated form.

As usual, his dad was facing the morning's rays in the sunroom in the back of their home. His mom had always loved that room and now that she was gone his father could usually be found there. Inutashio's long silver hair swept past his shoulders and down his sides. His face was serenely sad and lonely. His eyes bore trace wrinkles and his skin had a gray pallor.

Ever since his mom had died over fourteen years ago Inutashio had never been the same. It was always said that once a demon found their mate—that their souls intertwined. If one of the mates were to die, the spirit of the remaining mate would be torn. Inuyasha knew that his dad had never really recovered from his mother's death. It was almost as if he had one foot in the grave already. He rarely left his home and sometimes spent the entire day sleeping in his bed.

Inuyasha had always hoped that his dad would snap out of it, but he was slowly realizing that his dad had only hung on long enough to raise his sons. They were the only reason Inutashio had made an effort to keep on going. He feared that soon that reason would no longer rouse Inutashio in the morning. Perhaps one day his dad would decide to no longer wake.

The thought chilled Inuyasha. However, he tried to dismiss the dreary thoughts and forced a smile upon his face.

"Oi, Dad," spoke Inuyasha with strained cheerfulness. "I'm going to see Mom. Do you want to go with me? I think she'd like the company…" Inuyasha let his words fade into the mid-morning light as his father stared straight ahead into the sunlit beams. He waited silently as his father moved his head to the side as if he was contemplating something. Then the old man shook his head. Long graying hair rained down on either side of the man's head as he replied in the negative.

His son only sighed. It was the answer that he was expecting. Inutashio rarely left his bedroom or the sunroom. Now it seemed that even a visit to his mother's grave couldn't pull him out of his stupor.

"OK, Dad. I know that she'll miss you," Inuyasha paused and pulled two tickets out of his pocket. The boy looked at the tickets longingly and with trepidation. "I have tickets for tonight's concert at the Rose Bowl. Remember my band? Immortal Sin? We're doing really well now. And you could see Kagome if you came… If you want to go…," said Inuyasha as each word lingered in the air. The young man paused as he pulled out two tickets for row 'A' and dropped it next to his father's chair. "Uh, right. So I'll see you around, Dad."

Inuyasha paused for only long enough to see his father gaze away into the nothingness before him. It wouldn't be long, Inuyasha thought. 'He's going to join Mom. It's only a matter of time.'

The young man with long silver hair turned to exit the room. His white dog-like ears were folded low on his head as he left. He made his way around the corner to meet with an elderly woman who wore a white nurse's uniform. Her gray hair was swept in a long ponytail behind her. "Take care of him, Urusae," stated Inuyasha with sad acceptance.

"I always do," replied the woman as Inuyasha walked away and opened the sliding glass door that led to the backyard.

Once he made it past the back door he leapt high to bring himself closer to his goal. With three more long jumps he was near his target. He stopped to walk forward. This area was calm and tranquil, it seemed sanctimonious to be running or leaping here.

Before him was an ancient, gnarled oak tree that was anchored on the top of the grassy hillside. His father had chosen this location especially for his mom since they had often picnicked here under this very Californian oak tree. His father had also eschewed a public burial site. He was afraid that the racists who had killed her might also choose to deface her grave. Inuyasha bent down on a knee and knelt next to the tombstone.

"Hi, Mom," Inuyasha said as he scratched the back of his head. "I wanted to talk to you." He ran his finger across the engraved lettering on the cold marble surface. "I wish you were here," he whispered and he closed his eyes. Then a gentle spring breeze caressed his face and made his long silver hair flutter in the breeze.

"Is that you, Mom? Are you here?" he asked.

The breeze brushed up against him again and he sighed.

"Mom, I…I found someone," he said while keeping his eyes closed. "She…her name is Kagome, Mom, and I think she's the one for me."

The wind rustled across the grass and played with his hair.

Inuyasha smiled. It was a brief smile that rarely crept across his lips—something momentary, something rare.

"She accepts me, Mom. She accepted me as a hanyou and as a human. Maybe you remember her? She was that little girl with freckles that I played with whenever we visited the Sunset Shrine."

The wind blew again, wrapping itself around him and blowing gently.

"I guess, Kagome knew it then. Maybe I knew it, too. I was just too stubborn to realize it. She…she had a crush on me for years. And she kept on reaching out to me…even when I was a jerk…even when I had lost my way." He paused and took a deep breath. "She…she helped me Mom. She found the good in me, when no one else saw it."

The wind rustled briefly.

"Oh, I know, Mom. You always knew there was good in me. Sorry. It's just…it's just…no other girl had ever been like that with me before. I know that you'd like her, Mom. No one else gave me the strength and love that she did. Now I…Now there's no one else I want to be with."

The breeze played across his face. His hair drifted to the left and right with the wind. His face was calm and serene. With his eyes closed, it almost looked like he was meditating.

"Tell me that I have your blessing…"

The winds of spring were gentle as they caressed his face and hair again. Silver strands of hair lifted and fell with the breeze. And then all was silent.

Inuyasha opened his cool amber eyes. There was a sense of peace within his orbs.

"Thank you Mom…"

~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Later that night…  
Immortal Sin in concert  
Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, CA**_

Inuyasha's feet tapped nervously along the floor with the beat that was coursing through the stadium. Myoga was leading him down past the winding, dark pathways under the stage. His former coach looked at his watch and then gently nudged Inuyasha onto a lowered platform.

"You ready?" Myoga asked.

Inuyasha patted his jeans' pocket to make sure that the little item he needed was there. After breathing a sigh of relief, he gripped his black and chrome Fender Stratocaster guitar closer to his body. "Always," he replied with absolute surety. "Now you made sure that my acoustic guitar is already out there, right Myoga?" asked Inuyasha with a degree of temerity that was not normally heard in his voice.

Myoga rolled his eyes, "For the last time, Inuyasha. It's already on stage…"

"You do know how important this night is? Don't you, Myoga?" asked Inuyasha as he stared steadily into Myoga's eyes.

His former coach smiled warmly at his former player. "I know, son. Now go knock 'em dead." Then Myoga pressed one hand to his earpiece and motioned his other hand in front of him in an attempt to let Inuyasha know he was listening to someone speak over the microphone. "Got it, Terry. OK. Showtime!" Myoga rubbed his hands together nervously. "Be prepared, this platform will lift you onto the stage in…" Myoga paused and started to count down. "15…14…13…" Myoga's counting fell into the background to the heavy rhythm of the music pouring past the speakers. Had it really been almost a year since Myoga had become their band manager?

Myoga had joined in with their band almost immediately after the fateful day when they ran into the vice-president of Sony Music. The man had offered them a once in a lifetime recording contract. Soon after the entire band was swimming in contracts, legal paperwork and the type of red tape that would require a lawyer to properly understand. Ginta used to handle all of their bookings and contracts. But now they were in the big league and things were frightening. They needed someone who understood contracts, they needed someone who was ruthless, they needed someone who could push back when they were being pushed—they needed Coach Myoga.

Inuyasha felt some initial guilt when his long-time coach lost his premier position as head coach of the UCLA Demonic Team. Kagome argued that it was his own fault for not playing by the rules. However, it didn't take long for the Hollywood idol-makers to try to reshape their band into a plastic image devoid of any soul. It was about the time that a showbiz consultant had told Kagome to get a boob job and to dye her hair three different shades when she finally relented to Inuyasha in her frustration. At that moment, Kagome finally acceded to Inuyasha's demand to let Myoga work his magic.

Things had been easier for the band after Myoga had taken the helm. Coach Myoga was nothing short of merciless and exacting. Immortal Sin never felt like they had to bend to cooperate image making or greed again. For Myoga's part, he finally had a high paying job that let him call the shots and considering the band's popularity—enormous prestige. It was even rumored that Myoga had managed to start dating Coach Kaede. The two respective coaches had long since buried the hatchet after Myoga was kicked out of the sport and had become Kagome's mentor.

Kagome had continued on with her college studies despite their hectic concert schedule and the constant pull of media and fans. She even managed to take most of her classes online. Inuyasha snorted. He gave up on his studies long ago. 'What was the use of a piece of paper ?' he thought. He was making good money and had no material wants. As far as he was concerned a diploma was good for bragging rights and little else.

'Oh and speaking of bragging…,' he reflected with a grin. Despite Sesshomaru's newfound success as a player for the Denver Demons, Inuyasha—the younger brother—was still making more money in one week than his brother did in one year. It wasn't often that Inuyasha outshone his older sibling, but now he gloried in the sudden change.

"4…3…2…1" Myoga's voice pulled Inuyasha from his thoughts. Inuyasha crouched on all fours as the panel he sat on started to move upwards. He was swept away from the dark recesses under the stage to the blinding light and billowing fog. The loud beat, the screaming crowds and steadily pulsing music would have normally been too much for his sensitive ears to handle. Luckily, Kagome had put two cotton swabs in his ears before the concert started. The volume that was blasting through the speakers would have normally been enough to nearly deafen him for days.

Koga was the first band member to play. A lonely Caribbean melody erupted from his Washburn electric guitar, quickly followed by Hakkaku's drums that beat lazily to the tune. Ginta soon joined in with his bass guitar and added a heavy, mellow element to the streaming music.

As he was being lifted onto the stage, he heard Kagome's voice echo across the stadium and his earpiece. He couldn't help but smile when he heard her voice. What made it even better was that the lines she was about to sing were for him alone.

_Since the moment I spotted you  
Like walking 'round with little wings on my shoes  
My stomach's filled with the butterflies  
Ohhh…and it's alright  
Bouncing round from cloud to cloud  
I got the feeling like I'm never gonna come down_

Halfway through Kagome's lyrics, he pulled himself up from his crouching position to stand tall. His half demon form slowly appeared past the white fog. Red lights swept past his left and blue lights swept past his right.

His silver hair looked indigo under the lights as Inuyasha looked ahead. Luckily he couldn't see the crowded stadium before him. His eyes drilled forward and he could only see floodlights. If it wasn't for the roaring voices that surrounded him or the scents of a large crowd all around him—he might not have ever known there was a stadium of more than 90,000 fans before him. He turned to look at Kagome before he sang his lyrics but the sight made his jaw drop.

Clouds of fog parted before her as she stepped forward into the blue limelight. The wench was wearing her high school uniform. The azure floodlights streamed past her body, making her long, wavy, black hair look like a cerulean waterfall that fell down her back. She wore that ridiculously short green plaid skirt of hers. Long silky legs erupted from under the cloth, falling down to meet tall white socks and loafers. Damn, the wench knew what that outfit did to him!

It had been about a year ago that Inuyasha had found all of her old high school uniforms in her closet. When his hands had first touched the miniskirt's fabric—she had offered to wear the outfit for him. It had amazed her to see the hunger and desire that coursed through his features when she tried on the uniform. Like most schoolboys, he had a deep-seated fantasy about having sex with a young schoolgirl. Kagome was now twenty years old, but when she wore the pleated mini-skirt, diaphanous white cotton blouse and Mary Jane loafers she looked like a young girl of fifteen—and something out of Inuyasha's long suppressed fantasy.

'Fuck,' he thought as he tried to focus on the song and not on Kagome's legs or what was hidden under her miniskirt. His throaty baritone voice beamed across the stage.

_Every time I try to talk to you  
I get tongue-tied  
Turns out, everything I say to you  
Comes out wrong and never comes out right_

Hakkaku started banging heavily on his drums as the music crested to a louder crescendo. Ginta's bass started to belt out heavier riffs as Inuyasha and Kagome sang the chorus together. Kagome strolled over to Inuyasha and he met her in the middle of the stage. She stood in front of him and he gripped either side of her shapely hips. He was going to simply give up on playing his guitar until he got touching her out of his system. She placed each of her hands directly on top of his on her hips. He looked directly into her eyes and she pivoted her torso to match his gaze. Their hips rocked together as they sang their verse.

_So I'll say why don't you and I get together and take on the world, be together forever?  
Heads we will and tails we'll try again  
So I say why don't you and I hold each other, fly to the moon  
and straight on to heaven?  
Cause without you they're never gonna let me in_

Inuyasha couldn't help but smirk at Kagome as he held her form in his hands. 'I'm actually getting paid for this?' he thought for not the first time. 'I get to touch my girlfriend on stage and play my guitar?' He gazed into her eyes again and pulled her forward in a kiss that was deep and lingering. The audience started to scream in appreciation. It seemed that the crowds would go wild whenever they kissed in public. For some reason, no one seemed to forget that infamous kiss they had shared more than year ago in this very stadium.

Inuyasha separated from Kagome and shook his head as if confused. He knelt in front of her to sing his next verse with his arms stretched out wide.

_When's this fever gonna break?  
I think I've handled more than any man can take  
I'm like a love-sick puppy chasing you around _

Inuyasha waggled his eyebrows at Kagome and she smiled. He really didn't know how Kagome had convinced him to sing a line about him being a 'love-sick puppy dog.' Then his mind quickly brought up the memory that supplied the answer. Her persuasion came in the form of her legs wrapped around his hips while he pounded into her. 'Oh yeah, that was the reason.' He grinned as he tried not to think about their escapades in the middle of the concert they were putting on. That would get entirely too uncomfortable... He could think about it again once this concert was done and he could get Kagome alone. His singing partner walked up to him and stroked his dog-like ears in front of the entire stadium among coos and catcalls. Kagome bent down to kiss him on the forehead as he stood up and continued to sing.

_And it's alright  
Bouncin' round from cloud to cloud  
I got the feeling like I'm never gonna come down  
If I said I didn't like it then you know I'd lied_

Kagome turned to look over Inuyasha as she sang the next verse. Inuyasha pretended not to notice her and strutted back and forth in front of her. He swaggered in a way that let everyone know that he was playing with her. Kagome's eyes seemed to linger over his form as he walked.

_Slowly I begin to realize this is never gonna end  
But about the same time you walk by  
And I say oh here we go again, oh…_

Hakkaku increased the tempo on his drums and Koga started to play a heavier riff. Ginta dropped to his knees and held his flaming red bass guitar in front of him as he moved his hands up and down the guitar's neck. As the musicians played the segway part of the song, the beat sped up.

Inuyasha met up with Kagome on the center of the stage. He let his hands roam from the sides of her face all the way down to her long legs. 'God, I love this job,' he thought. Then he nudged her legs apart with his own and pressed his body up to hers. Kagome rocked back and forth against his thigh as they sang the final verse together.

_So I'll say why don't you and I get together and take on the world, be together forever?  
Heads we will and tails we'll try again  
So I say why don't you and I hold each other, fly to the moon  
and straight on to heaven?  
Cause without you they're never gonna let me in_

The music faded. Inuyasha looked down at Kagome again and her brilliant smile beamed at him. He kissed her briefly once more before they reluctantly pulled apart. Inuyasha grasped Kagome's hand in his. He raised their hands above their heads and then brought them down to a bow. Among the cheers and hooting Inuyasha couldn't help but to grin.

"Thank you, Los Angeles for the warm welcome!" yelled Inuyasha. "Some of you might remember the last time Kagome and I played here!"

The audience started to scream in an uproar! The crowd certainly remembered the last time the infamous duo had played here as members of opposing teams and how the game had ended so memorably with the two players kissing. "Kiss" "Kiss" "Kiss!" was yelled across the stadium.

Inuyasha spoke into his microphone. "Well, wench. You know how the saying goes—'You've got to give the crowd what they want!'" Kagome grinned back at him and winked.

Without a pause, Inuyasha dipped Kagome on the stage and kissed her soundly. Her arms reached up around his neck and pulled him even closer. This time it was Kagome and not Inuyasha who was deepening the kiss. 'I've created a monster,' thought Inuyasha smugly to himself. 'How did she go from being a virgin to a vixen?' As he got lost in their kiss, all he could think was that he really didn't mind the change.

Eventually the need for air pulled them apart. Inuyasha kissed her forehead and returned her upright next to his side. He held her waist possessively as he announced, "We're Immortal Sin. Prepare to rock!" Inuyasha released Kagome to swing his guitar around and then held it as he prepared to play.

The audience screamed again and the next song started to rock the stadium. Kagome took her place behind her Yamaha Synthesizer on the left hand side of the stage and Inuyasha took center stage and played his electric Fender guitar. The band continued playing and performing throughout the long evening. Most of the songs they played were originals that they had recorded for their first album, 'Seven Deadly Sins.'

Eventually their playing grew to a close and Inuyasha picked up his Epiphone acoustic guitar. He liked the way it felt in his hands. Unlike his electric guitar, it was purely wood and produced a warm and heavy sound that only natural materials could make. He plugged his guitar into the sound system and sat down on a stool.

"Folks, I have something special for you tonight," he announced while smirking. "Kagome could you come over here please?" he asked, motioning to Kagome to join him at center stage. Kagome tilted her head to the side in puzzlement as she walked over to him. She was clearly confused since this next song wasn't part of any official playlist for tonight.

"So Los Angeles, would you like to hear the song that I wrote for Kagome?" Inuyasha grinned at the announcement. The crowd screamed and Kagome's face softened to a knowing smile.

"For me, Inuyasha?" she asked tenderly. "Is this the song you've been working on that you wouldn't let me hear?"

"The very one," added Inuyasha with a grin. "Every word, every note is for you." This song was close to his heart. He was never good at expressing himself when he spoke, but somehow writing lyrics let his emotions have free reign. He didn't think that he could truly express to her how he felt unless it came as a ballad from his guitar.

He strummed lazily against his guitar and let the warm, soft tones of the acoustic guitar fill up the stadium with its gentle rhythms. He looked up at Kagome and his golden eyes gazed up at her intensely. He wouldn't let his eyes break contact with hers as he sang.

_You are the strength, that keeps me walking.  
You are the hope, that keeps me trusting.  
You are the light, to my soul.  
You are my purpose, you're everything._

He sang softly and purposefully as he continued to gaze into her eyes. He noticed a single tear making its way down her cheek.

_And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?  
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?_

_You calm the storms, and you give me rest.  
You hold me in your hands, you won't let me fall.  
You still my heart, and you take my breath away.  
Would you take me in? Take me deeper now?_

Inuyasha then moved up to stand. He pushed the stool away and kept his eyes trained on Kagome. The rhythms from his guitar became harsher, needy and more desperate. He raised his voice to a feverish pitch as he sang his next lines.

_Cause you're all I want, you're all I need  
You're everything, everything…  
You're all I want, you're all I need  
You're everything, everything…_

His voice then quieted, as if in defeat. He almost whispered the final lyrics.

_And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?  
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?_

With the last strum of his guitar, Inuyasha set the acoustic guitar down and walked over to Kagome. He took her cool hand in his sweaty palm. "Kagome, I have something to ask you," he murmured. His voice was low and quiet, but it echoed across the stadium as everyone waited in silence. He touched the pocket to his jeans one final time. It was still there! For some reason, he had been desperately worried that he would somehow lose it during the concert. With her hand in his, he trembled as he bent down to kneel on one knee in front of her.

"Kagome Higurashi. Would you be my wife?" he asked as he tried to keep his voice from breaking. Kagome gasped as he pulled out a gold and diamond ring from his pocket. A glittering three caret pink diamond gem sparkled across the stage as it reflected the blue floodlights. Immediately the crowd started screaming in excitement. He fixed his nervous, but hopeful gaze on her stunned face. His honey colored eyes met her warm chocolate orbs.

"Ye…yes," choked out Kagome as her entire body quivered.

Inuyasha let out a breath that he didn't even know he had been holding. He took the ring and slipped it on her shaky finger. Tears streamed down her cheeks as Inuyasha stood up to kiss her tenderly. It seemed so similar to that famous kiss they had shared in this very stadium. Salty tears wet her lips, and he couldn't let go of her. Just like the last time, it was a public kiss, with a screaming audience, and just like the last time, Inuyasha was lost in his own world. There was only Kagome and him—nothing else was around them, nothing else mattered. He didn't even notice when Koga announced the end of the concert.

"Thank you, Los Angeles!" yelled Koga. "I think we need to get the love birds off of the stage. Have a great night!"

Inuyasha grinned mischievously as he took Kagome's hand in his and lead her off of the darkened stage. He liked the way the cool gold metal band and the cut diamond felt against his warm hand. Demons could easily tell by his scent marking that she was his, but humans wouldn't be able to tell unless there was a ring on her hand. 'Humans can be so oblivious,' he thought. He pulled her down the corridor outside of the stage. He really didn't want to deal with anything right now. He had one thing on his mind and one thing only.

Myoga unfortunately didn't seem to understand the severity of the situation, but then he never did.

"Inuyasha and Kagome. I think congratulations are in order! When is the lucky day going to be?"

Kagome actually tried to start a conversation with Myoga, which nearly had Inuyasha growling in annoyance at the interruption. "Oh, I don't know. I mean he just proposed…," answered Kagome with a shy smile.

His former coach had a warm fatherly smile on his face as he looked at the girl who was positively glowing with happiness. Inuyasha didn't want to share this moment with anyone but Kagome. The lead singer looked down upon his erstwhile coach and had a hard time keeping his anger in check. His own demonic instincts were rising and cresting past his control.

"Later, Coach!" yelled Inuyasha as he swept on past him and picked Kagome up before carrying her off.

"Wha…what, my boy?" asked Myoga in surprise as the two singers brushed on past him. Kagome smiled meekly at Myoga as she was being carried over Inuyasha's shoulder.

Luckily for everyone, Ginta interceded. "Coach! You should know better than to interrupt Inuyasha and Kagome after a concert."

"What? Interrupt what?"

Ginta's cheeks took on a red hue. "He does it after every concert coach…," Ginta tried to explain.

"Does what?" asked Myoga.

Ginta sighed. "Mating, Myoga…," he answered.

"Mating? After every concert?" Myoga raised an eyebrow and then laughed. "Oh the young. Now my boy... Since Inuyasha is indisposed, can I go over these latest contracts with you?"

Ginta rolled his eyes but decided it was best to keep Myoga preoccupied. He didn't want to deal with a sexually frustrated hanyou tonight.

~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

It was taking too long to walk down the hallway—too long to carry her inside the dressing room. Inuyasha walked into the room and glared at it in apparent anger. After that scum, Lenner, had interrupted their time together after a concert a year ago—he always checked out the room to make sure that no one was there. He wasn't going to be interrupted ever again. When Inuyasha realized the room was empty, he set Kagome's feet on the ground.

His nostrils flared as he breathed in the scent that surrounded Kagome. Cherry blossoms and his woodsy bouquet lingered on her body, but not nearly enough. His aroma was rapidly fading from her body and he needed to scent mark her again. There should be absolutely no misunderstanding with any other demon—everyone should know that she was his.

However, his scent also had to come from the inside of her body. That was the only way to make it last. This feeling he felt, it was maddening. Did his father go through this with his mother? This driving need to have her exude his very aroma both outside and inside of her body. The bizarre feeling of panic that crept up at the edge of his senses whenever his scent on her skin started to dissipate… The way he marked her with his aroma, it was more than just a way that he designated her as his. It was a way of stopping time. As long as his essence lingered within her, she would age as he did. Nothing made him panic more than the thought of her aging and dying. He would stop time for her if he could. Luckily for him, the act was very pleasurable.

He sniffed the air again to make sure that they were alone. The fragrance that assailed his senses devastated him. It was the marine, musky aroma that only Kagome could produce and it was so pungent and fresh. The salty taste danced on his lips.

His eyes fixed on her smoldering gaze. One of his hands reached behind him to latch the door shut and his other hand drew her to him. He paused for only a moment to gaze at her. His fingers gathered the hem of her short green skirt.

"You know that I love this uniform," he murmured huskily.

She smiled. "I wore it just for you."

"Fuck! Your scent and this outfit… You don't know what you do to me, Kagome," he uttered.

"Show me," she answered seductively.

His lips latched onto hers as if she would try to run away. His fingers moved from the hem of her short skirt to move up her smooth, warm thighs. "Are you my fangirl?" he asked.

"Your one and only, most dedicated fangirl, Inuyasha," she murmured. "I've been following your career since you joined UCLA's Demonic Team B."

"Is that so?" he murmured as he tugged at her thin cotton panties and pulled them away from her silky bottom.

"Yes," she said while breathing sharply. "When I saw you…" Kagome gasped as his fingers moved to the apex of her thighs. His warm hands cupped her sex.

"When you saw me?" he teased. His fingers found their way to touch warm, wet folds that were exposed to the air.

"Ah," she mouthed as his warm fingers dipped into her while his thumb rubbed her pearl. "I…I wanted you from the moment I saw you play on the UCLA team."

"Is that why you're so wet for me, fangirl?" he asked with measured coyness.

"Yea…yeess," she answered as his fingers danced in and out of her moist velvety heat. Kagome was pinned against the door and her breathing soon came out in gasps. She didn't have anything to hold and soon her fingers clutched the red cotton t-shirt that Inuyasha was wearing. Her hands moved under his shirt to touch his washboard stomach and his muscles quivered under her heated touch. It was too much. She needed to touch more of him. She was writhing in pleasure under his dominating will. She needed him to feel the burning desire that was coursing through her. All she wanted to do was to make him loose control so that it would be his wonderful cock and not his fingers that were within her.

One hand dipped under his jeans. A warm, hard shaft pressed up against her fingers. She used her other hand to unbutton and unzip his jeans. Inuyasha couldn't help but to sigh once his hardened length was freed from it tight confines. Kagome moved both of her hands to the sides of his pants. With fingers under his jeans and underwear, she pushed down to shove the offending garments down to his knees.

Inuyasha kicked off his athletic shoes and then shimmied out of his denims. He really didn't care that he was standing there with a t-shirt on, but with nothing else. He continued to rub her nub and used his other hand to plunge unmercifully into her passage.

Kagome continued to squirm against his hand, moaning and panting in pleasure. Her body was shoved against the doorframe, but she didn't seem to mind as her form was pushed repeatedly against the entrance as his fingers worked her wet folds. Her fingers crept up against his body and gripped his warm cock in her hand. Clever digits played up and down his shaft and for the first time he felt the coldness of a metal band against his most intimate part. The subtle contrast between her warm playful fingers and the cold, slick metal had him throbbing in anticipation and pleasure.

He tried to rub Kagome until she was thrashing and screaming, but the wench fought him. Her face was flushed as she moved away from his hands, gripped his shirt and pulled it away from his body. The annoying garment was tossed aside. Her warm hands touched the smooth skin of silk and the hardened muscles that lied underneath the surface. Inuyasha was standing nude before her, with only his long silver hair covering his body. Kagome had lost her panties long ago, but to an observer she would have looked to be fully clothed with her miniskirt and blouse.

Kagome dropped to her knees in front of him. Before he could pull her back up, her warm mouth had enveloped his hardened length and he groaned. Her tongue danced around his tip and then leisurely flicked down the underside of his shaft before she swallowed his warmth again. It felt so wonderfully bizarre to have her sucking on him. The familiar warmth and tingling sensation that started in his gut now moved to his balls. It felt so fucking good. He could let her do this forever, but he wasn't going to propose to her and not see her orgasm before the night was over. Regretfully, he pulled himself out of her warm mouth. Salvia and pre-cum wetted his engorged shaft. He really needed Kagome. He needed a release.

Kagome smiled and pulled herself up to a standing position. Then, she walked forward and made her way to the leather couch that was in their dressing room. She knelt on the cushions and turned around so that her backside was facing him. She pulled up her short plaid skirt to reveal her smooth, silky bottom and the slippery wetness that was starting to soak her thighs. She turned around to eye him coyly as she brought her digits to her mouth. She licked each finger in turn before letting her hand dip to the junction of her thighs and then plunged her fingers within her heat. Kagome moaned at the sensation and her eyes glued shut in grimaced pleasure.

"Fuck!" Inuyasha yelled as he practically ran up behind her. "Fangirl, that's mine!" He stood behind her and his shaft touched the warm smoothness of her curved backside. "Move your hands out of there," he ordered. "I need to get inside of you."

Kagome complied after a moment's hesitation. Her hands gripped the top of the couch as she leaned forward to make room for him.

Inuyasha grasped his own length and guided himself under her warm cheeks into her velvety wetness. As he slid into her, he really didn't have any coherent thoughts other than, 'Home.' Within her was home, inside of her was heaven.

"Kagome," he moaned. He forgot that they were playing a game and that she was pretending to be a fan that was willing to do anything for him. Once he throbbed within her, he could do nothing but call her by her real name. "Dammit, I want you. I love you," he muttered almost incoherently as he pulled back and plunged within her walls again and again.

Once he was fully sheathed inside of her he moved his fingers above her soft folds to touch her clit. He was satisfied to feel the pearl at the apex of her pleasure zone was already hardening. "Let loose for me, Ka-Go-Me," he demanded, punctuating each part of her name with a thrust.

As he plunged repeatedly into her tight slick heat, his fingers played her nub like the accomplished musician he was. Her gasps, changed into moans and her moans became incoherent cries. Soon she was screaming unintelligibly and her snug passage started to pulse in waves against his hardened length as she orgasmed.

Pushing, shoving, pulsing, grinding… He felt the steady build up of pressure that had to be released. Instinctually he felt the need to lose himself within her. He pounded away at her core before the pressure built up to a crescendo. He couldn't breathe as he throbbed and pulsated inside of her. His life fluid streamed out of his body and made its way to hers. It would mark her as his, lengthen her life for yet another day and bind her to him.

He bent his head over her shoulder and kissed her neck. "Ka-Go-Me," he uttered. He was spent. It felt like every ounce of energy had been drawn from his body. But he was so satisfied and incomprehensibly happy. His arms wrapped around her midsection and drew her even closer to his warm and sweaty body.

"I love you, wench," he sighed into her neck.

Kagome's arms reached back to encircle his neck and to draw him forward. "I love you too, my sexy fiancé," she cooed.

"Sexy fiancé?" repeated Inuyasha as he quirked an eyebrow.

"Is there anyone else in this room?"

"Better not be," he growled. Inuyasha moved his naked form to lie horizontally on the couch. He situated Kagome to lie directly on top of him. Inuyasha found it strange that most of her clothes were still on while he was nude. One of his hands found its way under her skirt so that he could squeeze and caress her bottom.

Kagome smiled and gazed at his face. Her fingers drew invisible lines over his jaw and lips. "I like being your fiancé," she said while grinning. "And you'll look gorgeous in a tux."

"You'll look even better _out_ of your wedding gown," added Inuyasha playfully as he nipped at her neck.

"Is that all you ever think about?" asked Kagome with a mischievous smile.

Inuyasha pretended to think for a moment. "Ever since I laid eyes on you…yes!" he murmured.

Her eyes softened as she looked back at the man she was going to marry. "Strange how things work out…"

Inuyasha gave her a puzzled frown. "What do you mean?"

"We went from childhood playmates, to hated rivals, to lovers, to…to two people who …"

"Can't get enough of each other?" Inuyasha finished.

"Something like that," added Kagome with a grin. "I think I'm going to like my new name."

"Oh?" asked Inuyasha

"Kagome Taisho," she said while smirking.

"I like it, too," he added. "I like it so much that we'll need to make some little Taishos to add my last name to."

"Children? Inuyasha?"

"Sure. Your daughter would be gorgeous. A cute button nose, long black hair…"

"Adorable fuzzy ears on the top of her head…"

"Feh. I don't think so," muttered Inuyasha as he tried to cross his arms, but the half-hearted attempt didn't work very well with Kagome on top of him. He simply ended up holding Kagome closer to him.

Kagome turned so that her face was right next to his. "Nothings cuter than your ears. I want all my kids to have them," she added as she moved lithely up his body so that her mouth was above a furry ear. Kagome let a warm breath cascade over the appendage before her tongue started to lick the rim.

"Oi, God damn, Kagome. Do you want round two?" said Inuyasha. He had thought he was spent, but there was something about having her warm form on top of him and her mesmerizing scent surrounding him.

A sultry smile could be seen from Kagome's face as she left the question unanswered and continued to run her tongue over his furry ear.

'I'm right. I have created a monster,' he thought to himself with a self-satisfied smile. He lifted her skirt and grabbed Kagome's body to situate her wet folds directly over his engorging length. He was going to enjoy tonight and the feeling of having his fiancé in his arms.

He thought of the song he had just sung for her as she started to ride him.

'_Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?'_

_**The End**_

* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Please read and review if you liked this story!  
**_* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~* ~ * ~*

_**Author's Notes:**_

_#1: What was your favorite chapter of 'A Grudging Loss' and why?_

_#2: A reviewer asked me if I have anything planned after this. I am currently co-authoring 'He's My Girl' with Karaumea. It is a sexy comedy. Inu/Kag of course! Here's the summary:  
When Sesshomaru said he would help them, Inuyasha and Kouga, the notorious bad boys, did not expect to find themselves as two of the hottest girls in a boarding school. Inu/Kag Rated for language and sexual situations.  
I think you'll have a lot of fun with this lighthearted adventure. It is posted on Fan Fiction dot net and Mediaminer dot org under Karaumea's name. It is under my name at Adult Fan Fiction dot net and both of our names at Eternal Destiny. (If you have an ED account, please check it out over there since it is the only fan fiction site that can actually handle co-authoring.) I also have about five different Inuyasha stories percolating through my mind. The one I will probably write first is a canon-ish story where an older Inuyasha goes through the well and meets up with his younger self and a younger Kagome. But I won't start any new stories under my name until 'He's My Girl' is done. Just put me under an author alert and you'll find out when I post something under my name again._

_#3: Brakken did a little math and determined that since Inuyasha and Kagome were six-years-old during the 1992 LA Riots that most of this story took place in 2004. The epilogue was in 2005. Thanks Brakken!_

_#4: I wanted to apologize to SilverFeather. I was going to use 'Iris' by the Goo Goo Dolls in this chapter. But after careful consideration, I thought that 'Everything' by Lifehouse worked out a little better._

_#5: A big thank you goes out to Hedanicree and Lissa for recommending 'Why Don't You and I' by Santana and Alex Band. Once I heard the lyrics 'I'm like a love-sick puppy chasing you around' I knew that I had to have Inuyasha sing it! Great idea!_

_#6: I sometimes get asked where my story inspirations come from, this story as I have already noted was inspired by Inuyasha and Romeo and Juliet. As you read the story you will also notice that the 1992 Los Angeles riots also feature prominently in my story. (I still remember the unusual silence that I was met with in downtown Los Angeles one week after the riots occurred.) However there were two other facets that also inspired me. The first was following around behind a USC acoustic rock band in Los Angeles while I was in college. (Just call me a roadie.) I helped them carry their equipment into clubs so that I could avoid a cover charge._

_The other large inspiration for this story was Todd Marinovich, a famous quarterback at USC who was dubbed "Marijuanavich". (He was at USC while I was covering college sports.) The boy's life started clean, but due to the pressures of college sports he soon fell into marijuana and cocaine use. He tried to make the transition from college sports to the NFL Los Angeles Raiders (now the Oakland Raiders), however his NFL career ended amid his drug abuse problems. If you look him up in Wikipedia you can read about his sad story. Inuyasha's story in this fan fict was a close approximation to Marinovich's story. However, unlike Marinovich I had Inuyasha find someone who loved him and someone who changed him for the better. (I'm such a sucker for happy endings.)_

_The last inspiration for this story was from a review I read online that was complaining that the 'real' manga Inuyasha was too OOC (out of character) at the end. I couldn't believe it! Rumiko Takahashi's Inuyasha was OOC? He changed over the course of the manga and he was no longer the same angry half-demon at the end—he even smiles! He wasn't out of character. He had changed. I wanted to write a fan fiction piece that mirrored his development in the manga._

_I hope you enjoyed my story and I hope to see you online for my next story!_


End file.
